


Heart of a Berserker: Trust

by pedepaulie



Series: Heart of a Berserker [1]
Category: How to Train Your Dragon (Movies), School of Dragons (Video Game)
Genre: Battle for the Edge, Berserker - Freeform, F/M, Race To The Edge
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-10-25
Updated: 2020-01-31
Packaged: 2021-01-02 18:28:14
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 25
Words: 90,845
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21166154
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/pedepaulie/pseuds/pedepaulie
Summary: "Hope is a poison. One drop can consume you and make you believe in things that will never happen. It must be crushed before it is allowed to take root." - ???Brennda Axel knew it would be tough to join the School of Dragons as a Berskerer while her people were at odds with Berk. She must fight past suspicion and distrust with her Skrill, Bolt, as she proves to everyone she can be depended upon. Just as she seems to have succeeded, she meets someone who will turn her whole world upside down. She has never felt anything so real in her life, but can she really trust Harald Forkbeard? When the truth comes out, it may be too late.Part 1 of a four part series following the School of Dragons expansions.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Hello, everyone! I have recently really gotten into the HTTYD game School of Dragons, and it has consumed a lot of my time. I thought I might as well use my obsession to get some writing done, so this story was born. Those who have never played the game are welcome to read. I will explain everything along the way. I warn you my emphasis is on the expansions, and if you don't want spoilers, you should not read this. I will also basically spoil all the movies and Race to the Edge.
> 
> Working through continuity issues of the game and the movies and shows is a difficult task. Obviously, many parts of the game are for player experience and would not happen exactly that way in canon. I have done my best to smooth things over and make everything fit together. Hopefully, my timeline is believable. Race to the Edge and HTTYD 2 will take place during the story, but for the most part I will skim over the events. I may include RTTE Season 6 only because I think there could be an interesting rewrite including the original game characters and events.
> 
> Unlike other School of Dragons stories I've seen, this one will focus on my character and her interactions with the game characters (NPCs), especially in the expansions. I will try to make the characters align with the way they are in the game, though I will definitely expand upon the relationships. That is the whole point of this, after all. The start of the story (after the introduction), takes place between Defenders of Berk and Race to the Edge when the characters are 16-17 years old.
> 
> Please let me know if something does not make sense and I need to explain something in further detail. The time frame for this so far is five years, and I will have to summarize a lot to get to the main parts of the plot. I'm sorry if it's a little slow at the beginning, but certain relationships need to be established. For those of you familiar with the expansions, things will really start to heat up during Battle for the Edge.
> 
> For those of you who may start reading further down the line, I am starting this story after the Curse of the Hobgobbler expansion. When new expansions come out, I will include them if they fit with the plot I have in mind. If they contradict where the story is going by that time, I reserve the right to alter or skip over them. The story comes first.
> 
> That's about all I have to say for now. Hopefully the medias res introduction to this chapter will give you a little taste of things to come. It starts off with the events every player witnesses upon going into the school after the Hidden World update, so there are really no spoilers here.
> 
> Enjoy!

"_When the days are cold_  
_ And the cards all fold_  
_ And the saints we see_  
_ Are all made of gold_  
  
_ When your dreams all fail_  
_ And the ones we hail_  
_ Are the worst of all_  
_ And the blood's run stale_"

\- "Demons" by Imagine Dragons

Chapter 1

The sun shone brightly on the School of Dragons as I walked and chatted with Heather, my roommate, best friend, and fellow Berserker. Bolt, my Skrill, trailed behind us. We were almost to the lab when someone whizzed past me, nearly causing me to stumble. Heather and I exchanged a look.

"Was that-?" Heather said.

I nodded. "Harald," I said under my breath. The pirate who kept getting in our way and drove me crazy. "Come on, Bolt."

I easily slid into my dragon's saddle, and we took to the air. Hiccup and Astrid flew past me on their respective dragons, but I hovered in the air and surveyed the scene.

Harald carried a large crate bearing his captain Stormheart's symbol and was headed towards the landing pad, a large, raised circle surrounded by water. His Terrible Terror Leopold was nowhere in sight. Harald placed the crate in the middle of the landing pad while Toothless and Stormfly drew in closer.

Harald backed away, and I saw Toothless preparing a plasma blast. I knew he would aim at the crate, not the pirate. Then it hit me. "Hiccup, don't!" I cried as Bolt zoomed forward. "It's a trap!"

But it was too late. Toothless' plasma blast struck the crate, causing it to explode as it fell down the geyser elevator. The elevator and landing pad were shattered and plummeted into the water. The underwater ground must have broken too, for there was now a giant gaping hole in the middle of the school.

Hiccup looked at me in shock. "How did you-?"

"Harald's clever," I said. "He wouldn't run out onto a dead end without a good reason. He was baiting you." I turned around in the air.

"Where are you going?"

"After that pirate!"

While everyone was distracted by the hole, Bolt flew towards the docks. I would have time to examine the damage later; right now I had something more important to take care of. I smirked when I saw Harald's empty boat in the distance. Thankfully, he had come alone. Bolt swooped down and landed on the boat.

It did not take long before Harald climbed aboard and we stood face to face. "Brennda, what a pleasant surprise!" he said amiably as if he were addressing an old friend instead of an adversary. "Are you here because you finally realize you would make an excellent pirate?"

In a flash, I had him pinned to the side of the boat with my sword inches from his throat. "Guess again," I said menacingly.

If my actions surprised him, he did not let it show. "Now, Brennda, you and I both know you will not hurt me." He spoke with such confidence and certainty that I _wanted_ to hurt him, but of course, he was right. He was always right.

"I could," I muttered, not wanting to give in.

A smirk played on his lips. "But you _won't_."

I scowled and took a step back, releasing him and sheathing my weapon. I hated this. I hated that he understood me so well when I ran around in circles trying to figure him out. Right when I thought I had something, he moved just out of my reach.

"What was that about?" I said, motioning back at the school. "Why did you do that?"

"It was nothing personal," Harald said. "I was under Stormheart's orders. It's a warning, if you will, to stop getting in our way."

I stared at him hard. There was no way to tell if he was lying this time, and his reason made as much sense as anything else. "Fine." I looked away and placed a hand on Bolt.

"Well, now that that's settled, if you'll excuse me." He strode past me and started up the boat. The movement did not bother me. I could fly off on my dragon anytime.

I should have gotten out of there. I had no reason to stay. No reason I found acceptable at least. Bolt stared at me as if he was in no hurry either. I turned back to Harald. "Don't you ever get tired of this game we play, Harald? Using logic to get me to do what you want? Getting close and then running away? Keeping me guessing as to where we stand at any given moment?"

Harald shrugged. "I find it quite entertaining, actually. Don't you?"

I frowned. "No. I'm not going to stop, but... it does get to me."

Harald turned fully to face me and stepped closer. "Listen, Brennda..." Something changed in his demeanor. He had grown more serious, more real. This did not mean he would necessarily speak the truth, but he did want to convey a message to me. "I like you. I really do. But if things were to change, they would not be in your favor."

I bristled. I had the feeling he knew exactly what I wanted, and I hated it. "You don't know that."

He moved in a little too close and stared at me in earnest with his green eyes. His eyes were the only part of him that could not lie. "But I do." I would not have believed the regret in his voice if I did not also see it in his eyes. He was an expert at concealing his emotions, but even he let something slip every now and then. Not that I could ever make much use of it. "You know who I am. How many times do I have to remind you? Don't get greedy and make a mess at everything."

I glared at him because he had struck too close to home again. "You say that as if all of this is my fault. You're the one in control, and it's driving me crazy! Don't blame me for wanting to change things. You started this stupid game, and I might as well try to win."

"But you can't beat me." He moved away from me, and I crushed that annoying sense of disappointment. His mask of confidence was back, telling me I could push him no further. "You can't even get close."

I hated the truth of his words. Every time I thought I had slipped past his defenses, a thick wall blocked me from going any further. It had been that way since the day we had met. Back then, I naively wanted to break his walls down simply to prove that I _could_ do it. And for moment, I thought I had. Had it all really been an illusion crafted by him to gain my trust? He clearly wanted me to believe there had been nothing real in what I thought I saw in him, and just knowing _that_ was enough to plant a tiny seed of doubt in my mind.

But every time I thought I came closer to the truth, he spun me around so I no longer knew which way was up and which was was down. This had to stop. I climbed onto Bolt's back and prepared for takeoff. "I can beat you if I change the rules." An empty threat I had no idea how to fulfill. I saw Harald's smirk as I took off over the water.

I had intended to fly all the way back to the main part of school, but I noticed Heather and Eret watching me from the docks, so I landed in front of them instead. My friends exchanged a glance. It was Eret who stepped forward and spoke first: "Are you alright, mate?"

I looked over my shoulder at Harald's ship. I could just see his blond hair in the distance. "No." I was never fine when it came to him. No one else could make me feel such a wide range of strong, contradictory emotions. "He's leaving. Again. And I'm just watching him. Again."

"Technically, you're the one who left him this time," Eret said.

"What was I suppose to do, stay on his ship?"

"It was an option available to you."

I spun around and shot him a dark look. "Who's side are you on?" He always said the oddest things when it came to Harald. Was it because he had not been there when he had betrayed the rest of us?

Eret raised his hands, palm-up. "I was just trying to help."

My shoulders sagged when I realized I had taken my frustration out on my friend. "I'm sorry, Eret. I'm just tired. I -" I took a deep breath. "He's always running away... literally and figuratively."

Eret shook his head. "Brennda, you wouldn't know what to do with him if you caught him. Figuratively speaking, it looks to me like he's not the only one running away."

I scoffed. "I don't think so. Berserkers don't run from anything!"

"Yes, we do," Heather said as she came to stand beside Eret once more. "We just pretend we're running to something instead. Just ask my brother." She smiled at Eret. "I'll take it from here."

Eret nodded. "Thank you. And... good luck."

Heather and I started back to school with Bolt trailing behind much like we had that morning. I did not want to address her previous comment, so I decided on something else. "I'm sorry I disappeared on you. I hope you didn't have trouble finding me."

"No, I figured it out pretty quickly," Heather said. "You're the only one who would run away from an explosion and chase after the guy who caused it."

I shrugged. "It's what I do." I looked over my shoulder but could no longer make out the boat. I faced forward and sighed. "Nothing's ever going to change, is it?"

Heather gave me a sympathetic look. "Anything's possible."

"But it's not probable. You're a scientist; you know this is something you would not recommend."

"Brennda, if I thought my expert advice could stop you, I would have given it to you long ago."

"I guess I just don't know when to give up."

"And that's one of your best traits."

I glanced at her and was surprised by the sincerity on her face. "But sometimes I _want _to give up, Heather. And it's not just Harald. We have more enemies than ever, and for every dragon we save, two more are captured. It just seems so hopeless."

Heather gave me a pointed look. "You know, for an idealist, you're awfully pessimistic."

"Maybe it's _because_ I'm an idealist. Reality can never live up to what could and should be."

Heather shook her head. "No, it's because you're a perfectionist. I keep telling you that you need to stop focusing on the details and take a step back to look at the big picture. Do you realize how far we've come? When we both joined the school, the Berserkers were at war with Berk and everyone thought you were secretly working for them, remember?"

"Yeah, I remember." How could I forget? The day I joined the school was the day my life changed forever. One of the two days at least. "Dagur was the reason we both joined. It's kind of funny now that you think about it."

Heather smiled. "Yes. And speaking of Dagur... back then I would have decided against the probability he would ever come around. I did not think he could change. No one did."

"I did," I said quietly. "I didn't tell anyone, of course. How could I? I was trying to fit in, and I did not need to give anyone another reason to think I was working with Dagur." I thought back to those dark days tinted with hope. "I didn't know him personally, but my parents knew his father. They said he had to have imparted some good onto his son and he would come around eventually. He never really struck me as evil anyway. But I didn't do anything about it. I left."

Heather stopped walking and placed a comforting hand on my shoulder. "It's a good thing you did. Things worked out in the end, didn't they?"

"Yeah, they did."

I could still remember everything clearly...

***

**5 Years Earlier**

It started off just as any normal day on Berserker Island. I roamed the village and performed tasks for various Vikings in exchange for food or useful items. When I could find no more work, I made my way to the warrior camp.

It was a routine I had gotten used to the past several months. First, I made sure Dagur was not in sight. Messing with the chief was _not _on my to-do list. Once certain the coast was clear, I made my way through the group of men casually sitting around or sparring with each other.

"Hey, Borris," I said to a particular beefy Viking. "How's the wife?"

Borris laughed. "Haven't seen her in ages."

While he was distracted, I swiped a turkey leg from the table behind me. "That's a shame. I send my regards anyway." I careful turned and left with my prize.

I despised these men. They had made living on the island nothing but unbearable. Up until about six months prior, Dagur has stationed his troops on Outcast Island. Part of me wanted to believe he actually cared about us and had done it for our benefit. Sure, we had been basically leaderless, but anarchy was preferable to the ruffians that now roamed the island ever since Berk helped Alvin take back control of Outcast Island.

The warriors pushed everyone around and stole what they pleased. It was hard for the village to grow and become productive when there was no certainty that their hard work would be rewarded. Dagur himself was not bad. He just did nothing to stop his men. All he cared about was destroying Berk and their dragons.

No one dared voice their dissatisfaction. The chief was not the most stable person, and we did not want his attention turned to us. So, I pretended to be friends with his men. It lowered their suspicions and made it easier to take from him. It was all a matter of survival. Ever since my parents died at sea, I had to look after myself.

My parents had tried to find a way out. They set to sea in search of a friendly island. They had faith that Dagur would wake up eventually and turn things around, but they did not want me to suffer in the meantime. But a storm took them out, and now I was alone. I could not even follow in their footsteps, for they had never had the chance to teach me how to sail. I was stuck.

Finished with my turkey, I tossed the bone in a bush and continued along my way. I saw some sort of commotion as I neared the docks. It was Dagur's me. It looked like they were harassing a foreigner who had come to trade with us. I had seen him before. Johann, I believe his name was. One of the men laughed as he took something from his boat.

Anger bubbled in my chest. If they kept this up, no one would want to trade with us, causing us to suffer even more. However, I knew rushing in there in a rage would do no one any good. I had to think calmly and rationally about this. An idea came to me.

I raced to the docks in a frenzy. "Guys!" I exclaimed, catching the attention of the warriors. "I just saw a Night Fury fly over to the other side of the island. You better hurry!"

The men exchanged glances. "But we didn't-" one of them started to say.

The guy next to him elbowed him in the side. "You idiot. Do you want to be the one to tell Dagur we got a lead and didn't check it out?"

The first man paled. "Gotta go. Thanks, kid!"

I chuckled as I watched all of them run off. That was almost too easy.

"Not that I don't appreciate that they're gone," Johann said as he brushed the dirt off his clothes, "but I just left master Hiccup and his Night Fury on Berk. I doubt they've made it back here."

I smirked. "I lied. You're welcome."

"Oh, that's marvelous. Thank you. Say, are you a fan of dragons? Because I can tell you all sorts of stories about-"

"I think dragons are cool," I said. "A dragon saved my dad's life when I was younger. And anything that causes Dagur to run in circles is okay in my book."

"A dissenter, I see."

"That's for sure. Life here has been tough these days. I'd leave, but-" I stopped when an idea hit me. "You're not looking for help, are you?"

Johann frowned. "I beg your pardon?"

"Let me travel the seas with you! I'll do whatever you ask, no matter how dangerous. I just need to get off this island!"

"Well, won't you parents-?"

"My parents are gone. They died trying to find a new home for us. Now I'm stuck here, and I'd do anything to leave. Please?" I gave him my most charming smile, hoping it would be enough.

"I'm afraid I have to decline your request," Johann said with a twinge of sadness in his voice. "My journey is meant for me alone." He paused. "However, let me give you a counteroffer."

***

I never imagined I would end up at Berk's recently established School of Dragons. Sure, I had been curious about it ever since I heard, but I never thought they would accept me, a Berserker. Johann seemed to have some pull with them, however, as I soon found myself waiting outside the Great Hall while Chief Stoick discussed the issue (aka 'me') with his Vikings.

Finally, the door swung open, revealing a young Vikings who had previously introduced himself as Hiccup, the chief's son, and his Night Fury, Toothless. "Congratulations!" he said. "You are now a student at the School of Dragons!"

I let out the breath I had been holding. "R-Really?"

"But you must renounce your life on Berserker Island," Stoick said, coming up behind his son. "You are loyal to Berk now."

I nodded. "Of course. I didn't want to be there anyway."

"And if I hear of any trouble-"

"There won't be any." I offered him my best smile.

Stoick sighed. "Very well then. Hiccup, will you help her pick out a dragon?"

"Come on, Brennda," Hiccup said, smiling at me. "This is the best part."

At least he seemed friendly and willing to give me a chance. It was more than I could say for the Vikings who followed us and gave me suspicious looks. Hiccup led me across a grassy area to the hatchery. He explained that the school found and took care of eggs and baby dragons that had been abandoned. Each new student chose a baby to raise and train as a partner.

"Pick any one that speaks to you," Hiccup said.

I gazed into the pen of baby dragons. They were all different colors and different species. I did not know what most of them were called, but I knew I would learn in school. There was one dragon I recognized, however. "I want that one." I pointed straight at the Skrill.

Gasps and murmurs broke out through the crowd that had gathered. I knew what they were thinking. Of _course_ I had chosen the Skrill, the symbol of the Berserker tribe. My people used to capture Skrills and force them to battle with us. Truthfully, this _was _part of the reason the dragon called out to me. I had a crazy idea that I could take that legacy and turn it into something good. Also, I had always had a thing for lightning and storms.

"That's a good choice," Hiccup said, though a hint of uncertainty had leaked into his voice. "Go in there and see if he will accept you."

I nodded. I took a deep breath, I stepped into the pen and slowly made my way the purple dragon. The Skrill bristled when I got close, and lightning danced between his wings. I stopped. "It's alright, little guy. I want to be friends." I knelt down and looked into his eyes.

"Try patting his head," Hiccup encouraged.

I had never touched a dragon before. For some reason, they were scarce on Berserker Island. Most of the tales I heard were about how dangerous and destructive they were. But looking at this baby, I saw a creature who was also homeless and last. We needed each other.

I slowly moved my hand forward, stopping each time the Skrill growled. Finally, my hand hovered over his head. "It's okay now. You don't have to be alone anymore." I let my hand gently drop onto his head. The Skrill relaxed under my touch, and soon he nuzzled my palm. I smiled as a warm feeling spread through my chest.

I followed my instincts and reached out with my other hand. I picked up the baby Skrill and snuggled him to my chest. A few stray sparks of electricity hit me, but they tickled more than anything else. "We're going to be together from now on... Bolt."

"Great job," Hiccup said. "You're a natural."

I smiled. The uneasiness of the crowd no longer bothered me. It did not matter if I was not accepted at my new home. This place was better than where I had come from. I could build a life here. And now I had a little dragon to call my own. Together, we could conquer anything.


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> You're still with me? Good. Let's get started. We're off to Icestorm Island!

****"_You don't know how it feels_  
_To be outside the crowd_  
_ You don't know what it's like_  
_ To be left out_  
_ And you don't know how it feels_  
_ To be your own best friend_  
_ On the outside looking in_"

– "Outside Looking In" by Jordan Pruitt

Chapter 2

A full year came and went in a flash. Since I did not have a hut on Berk, the headmaster assigned me a dorm room. I had to share my room with a girl named Heather who was also the school alchemist since no other students needed a roommate at the time.

It did not take me long to figure out why they stuck me with Heather. Dagur had attacked and burned her village, and her parents died in the battle. She assured me she only hated Dagur and not all Berserkers. She is willing to give me a chance. Still, she has kept a close eye on me. We were friendly with each other but did not hang out outside of school. That was probably the best I could hope for.

Bolt grew quickly. The other students avoided me while we trained together. I ignored them and focused on my dragon. It was thrilling when we could finally fly together. Hiccup graciously helped me out and taught me everything he knew. His presence seemed to soften the glares of the other Vikings, for which I was grateful.

Hiccup introduced me to his friends, the original dragon riders. They were all suspicious of me at first, but I made it a point to help them out with anything they needed. Slowly, they began to trust me. I was not sure they were friends yet, but we got along quite fine.

One day, something exciting happened. I ran into the headmaster at the school, and he implored me for his help. Apparently, he was expecting a shipment of parchment from trader Johann, but he had not arrived yet. I agreed to go look for him and headed off to Berk on Bolt's back.

I saw nothing at the docks, so I flew out further. I had not gone far when I found Johann's ship near the beach. It was cracked and half and covered in ice. Thankfully, I spotted Johann standing on the shore and flew down to meet him.

"Brennda!" Johann cried when he saw me.

"Johann, are you alright?" I asked.

"I'm fine, but my poor, magnificent ship is not! My beautiful vessel, broken and shattered before my very eyes!"

I glanced back at the icy ship. "What exactly happened?"

"I was caught unawares! I was on my way from the School of Dragons when the inside of my ship suddenly exploded in a wave of ice! Will you help me figure out what happened? Jump on the broken shards of my ship. Perhaps you will find out what caused the ice to appear from nowhere."

"I'll do my best." Bolt leapt into the air again, and we flew over to the ship. It did not take long for me to discover the cause of the ice. A light blue dragon stared up at me with big eyes. "Hey, I think this baby dragon is the problem!"

"A dragon?" Johann said in confusion. "Ah, I understand! I acquired something that I believed was the Orb of Frozen Futures, a mystical treasure that you can use to see the future. I see now that it was a dragon egg. Brennda, I know nothing about dragons. Will you help me out? Will you bring the baby dragon to Hiccup? Certainly he will know what to do."

"Sounds like a good idea to me. But will you be alright?"

"I'll be fine. Good luck to you!"

The baby dragon seemed friendly enough. I leaned over Bolt and offered him my hand. The dragon sniffed my hand and then scrambled up my arm. He was not as cold as I thought he would be. I wrapped one arm securely around him and held onto Bolt with the other. Now, to find Hiccup.

Bolt flew up high so that I could search. I soon spotted Hiccup walking in the direction of his hut and flew down to cut him off. "Hiccup!" I exclaimed. "Look what I found!" I hopped off Bolt and then set the baby dragon on the ground. "He can breathe ice! He caused a bit of trouble for Johann, actually. He shattered his whole boat with his ice!"

"Wow!" Hiccup said. "What an amazing little feller!" He bent down and smiled at the dragon. "I've never seen a dragon like this before! He looks a little bit like a Gronckle, but clearly he's a new species. He looks like a Gronckle made of icicles... maybe he could be called a 'Groncicle!'"

I grinned. "That name suits him."

"Thanks. He sure is an interesting little guy. I can't wait to learn more about him! Will you tell my dad what's going on? Maybe he can help Trader Johann get back on his feet."

I nodded. "Sure thing." The Groncicle followed Bolt and me as we set out in search of the chief.

Stoick had slowly learned to trust me when I showed no signs of ill intent. He greeted warmly when I found him outside the Great Hall and listened intently to my story. He promised to help out Johann by finding him a new boat to use, and then he left the Groncicle in my care, advising me to work out a solution with Hiccup.

It had been awhile since I had cared for a baby dragon, and this one probably had very different needs from a Skrill. I knew it would be trial and error. Looking at the Groncicle, I thought he seemed a little unhappy, which was not good. I returned to Hiccup in order to seek his advice.

Hiccup was more than happy to help, of course. He first suggested feeding the baby dragon. When that did not work, I gave him some dragon nip. The Groncicle refused this as well. Hiccup worried he might be sick. The dragon did eventually drink some water, but something still seemed off.

"You know, since he's an ice dragon, this climate might be too warm for him," Hiccup said at last. "Our little buddy always seems to point his nose to the north. It could be a natural instinct. Let's follow him and see if he can lead us to his natural habitat!"

I looked at him with raised eyebrows. "Do you really think that will work?"

Hiccup smiled. "It's with a try, isn't it?"

I shrugged. "Alright." I bent down to look into the Groncicle's eyes. "What do you say, little guy? Want to lead us home?"

The Groncicle wiggled his body happily. Then he took off running towards the wilderness. Hiccup and I ran after him with Bolt and Toothless by our sides.

The ice dragon led us all the way to the edge of the island, but instead of stopping, he flapped his little wings and kept on going over the water. I anxiously looked at Hiccup to see what he wanted to do.

Hiccup grinned at my expression. "Ready for an adventure, Brennda?" He climbed onto Toothless' back without waiting for a response.

"I - I guess so," I said. I knew Hiccup loved to explore new lands and the stories he told were exciting, but up until that point I had never left the school. It was terrifying and exciting at the same time. I quickly mounted Bolt, and we flew up over the ocean.

We flew for what seemed like ages. I was amazed that the baby dragon could keep on going without any rest. He must have really wanted to reach his destination. I shivered as the weather suddenly turned cold. It was supposed to be spring, so I had not worn particularly warm clothing.

Finally, I saw it in the distance: a small island covered with mounts and snow. The three dragons landed by the shore. Surprisingly enough, I noticed we were in the middle of what seemed like a deserted campsite. Who would choose to live all the way up here?

"Wow, what an amazing place!" Hiccup said with giddiness. "Oh boy. Time to put our adventuring skills to the test. I'm so glad we'll be exploring this new land together, Brennda."

This caught me off guard, and I could only smile and nod.

"Our frozen friend is looking a bit better already. I think we've found the answer to his problem!"

"That's a relief," I said. "So, what do we do now?" I was new to this adventuring thing, and Hiccup seemed like an expert.

"Let's get our bearings in this new land. Don't worry; we'll figure it all out together."

Together. He said it like we were friends. And perhaps we were. For the first time, I wondered if I had been wrong to keep such a distance from everyone. Perhaps people liked me more than I thought. Or at least Hiccup did, and having the approval of the chief's son as a pretty big deal. Feeling better now, I eagerly got to work.

First, we built a nest made of snow for the Groncicle. Then we caught an Artic Char and fed it to him. He seemed to really like that fish! He even accepted dragon nip now that he was in his natural habitat.

Next, Hiccup and I had to take care of ourselves. The wind was picking up, which meant a blizzard was on its way. We worked together to build an igloo that would keep us safe from the storm. Then I fished for us while Hiccup built a fire. We completed everything just as the storm hit.

We built the igloo large enough to fit two Vikings and two dragons. It was a little cozy but very warm. I felt a great sense of accomplishment for everything we had done that day. With nothing else to do, Hiccup and I struck up a casual conversation. I found him very easy to talk to. Before I knew it, three hours passed, and the storm died down.

"What a nasty blizzard!" Hiccup said as he led the way out of the igloo. "I'm glad it's over."

"Me too," I said. Bolt growled in agreement.

"I was hardly cold inside the igloo. That was a great idea to make that with you, Brennda. Hey, who is that friendly-looking fellow? Maybe he's the one who owns this camp."

I turned to see who he was looking at. A young Vikings - probably in his mid-twenties - stood on the other side of the camp. He was dressed in warm clothing and carried a large hiking bag. He smiled when Hiccup and I approached.

"Hello there!" he said. "I was wondering who built an igloo in the middle of my camp. Pleased to meet you! My name's Skulder."

"I'm Hiccup, and this is Brennda," Hiccup said. "We're visiting from Berk."

Skulder brightened at this. "Ah, that is where I'm from as well! I haven't been back in years though. I left to become an archaeologist." He looked past us and frowned. "Actually, I could really use your help. These dragons appeared in my camp out of nowhere! I would shoo them away myself, but I don't have any weapons with me..."

"It's okay, these dragons are our friends. They don't mean any harm. A lot of things have changed in Berk over the years! Brennda, show him that he has nothing to worry about. Can you ask Bolt to light that fire pit for us?"

I nodded. "Sure thing." I turned to my Skrill, who watched the new man curiously. "Bolt, gently shoot that pit."

Bolt immediately turned his attention to the pit. He let out a small spark of electricity, which was enough to light the pit on fire.

"Trained dragons?" Skulder said in surprise. "Incredible! I've never seen such a thing. I don't mean to offend, but I'd still rather not get too close to them. Though I suppose exploring this inhospitable place would be so much easier with a dragon... I've been working alone on this icy island for years. It's such a pleasure to finally have some company. Please, let me share my work with you!"

I followed him to a table on the edge of the camp. He pointed to a stone slab that displayed archaic drawings. It appeared only partly finished, though. The sides were jagged as if it were a puzzle piece. "Wow," I said.

"Marvelous piece of work, isn't it? It's an ancient rock carving--or in scientific terms--a petroglyph. This petroglyph depicts a viking civilization that once lived on this desolate isle. As you can see, it's been broken. The other pieces were scattered across the entire island. For years, I've been slowly recovering and putting the missing pieces back together. I believe this ancient petroglyph holds the answer to finding their legendary treasure. I am always getting closer to the answer, though I am constantly hindered by this insufferable weather."

"That sounds fascinating," I said truthfully. I had never met anyone who cared about the past this much. The Berserkers I grew up with enjoyed destroying things instead of preserving them. But it was cool to think that previous generations had left us something interesting to discover. "If you would like some help, Bolt and I could offer you our assistance." I glanced back at Hiccup, and he nodded his approval.

Skulder appeared surprised. "Really? That would be wonderful, Brennda. Thank you so much. Archaeological will go much faster with you and Bolt's help. I would be honored to work alongside you!"

***

Hiccup and I returned to the School of Dragons to tell the headmaster about our discovery. He found our news exciting and proposed we expand the school to 'Icestorm Island.' The three of us met up with Chief Stoick to go over the idea. Stoick approved and ordered Gobber to start making plans.

The next day, I flew back to Icestorm Island with Hiccup. I joined Skulder in his archaeological work while Hiccup explored the island. The day passed by in a flash. And so did the next.

I soon found myself spending most of my time on Icestorm Island. There was so much to explore with Hiccup, and Skulder's work was fascinating. I only returned to school when needed. It felt so peaceful on the icy island despite the weather. There was no one to judge me or give me nasty looks. I told Skulder I was a Berserker, and he did not care. Sure, Berk was at peace with the Berserkers when he left, but still. It felt great to be completely accepted by someone.

Eventually, Hiccup's friends started to stop by. Without the influence of the usual crowds, they were even nicer to me than normal. I found it to be a great opportunity to get to know each of them individually. It felt like I was not alone anymore. Like I finally had friends.

One day, Astrid asked me to help her scout defensible positions in case the island were ever attacked. I felt honored that she asked me considering the most likely people to attack us were the Berserkers.

First off, we flew to a suspicious looking hut Astrid had noticed earlier. We landed and came face to face with a grumpy, old Viking and his sheep. "I didn't expect to meet Vikings all the way out on this island," he grouched. "Your dragon is here too. I guess you haven't learned your lesson yet."

"So it is you, Mildew," Astrid said. "I was hoping I was wrong. We'll keep our dragons away from you as long as you stay away from us. Got it?!"

Mildew huffed and turned away.

Astrid shook her head. "C'mon, Brennda, let's go!" The two of us took off on our dragons. "Ooh, that guy drives me nuts. He worked against us on Berk for a long time. I'll tell Hiccup that Mildew's on the island. We still have the island to explore!"

And explore we did. I found several defensible positions that were Astrid approved. We ended up circling the entire island and then reported back to Hiccup. Now we were ready for any attack!

***

It was another cold day on Icestorm Island. Bolt and I landed at camp after an eventful day, and immediately Snotlout ran over to me, panting and out of breath. Hookfang remained seated behind him, seemingly disinterested in his rider's distress.

"Brennda!" Snotlout exclaimed. "So I don't want to alarm you but I think the sky is burning. We're all doomed! I saw it while flying over here from the school. The entire sky was bathed in green flames! It's only a matter of time before it reaches us here at camp."

I stared at him.

"Hey, don't give me that look. I'm telling the truth! If you don't believe me, go take a look for yourself. Fly out toward the glow in the sky and I'm sure you'll be able to find it."

I sighed and shook my head. "Fine, I'll humor you. Let's go, Bolt."

We flew north of the island, gaining altitude as we went along. There did appear to be a weird green glow in the sky. Bolt flew closer. I gasped when the dancing, colorful lights came into view. It was magnificent, and it did not look like fire to me. Smiling, I turned around to report back to Snotlout.

He was not impressed. "It looks very nice, but it's a shame that the world is going to end. I knew that pretty things would be the death of me one day! You need to tell Hiccup now so that we can prepare to get out of here!"

I rolled my eyes. "Yeah, I'll do that..."

I did find Hiccup and explained the situation. He agreed the lights were not fire, but he flew up with me to make sure. The colors were as beautiful as when I had left them. How could Snotlout be afraid of this?

"Whoa! This is crazy!" Hiccup said. "I've heard about this. These are the Northern Lights. It's a completely natural phenomenon. Isn't it so beautiful? I really love that I can fly on nights like this."

I smiled. "Yes, this is something special."

"Want to have some fun?"

I grinned. "I'm always ready for fun!"

The two of us flew directly into the lights. We struck wisps of clouds that dissolved once we touched them. It was a magical experience, and I was glad I could share it with a friend.

"Thank you for showing this to me, Brennda," Hiccup said after playing for awhile. "You should go back and let Snotlout know that everything is fine."

I chuckled. "Sure thing." I reluctantly flew back to Icestorm Island where Snotlout waited expectantly. I carefully explained everything Hiccup and I had discovered.

Snotlout frowned the entire time. "You're sure? It looked just like dragon fire across the entire sky! I think I'll find a different route to fly from now on, just in case it starts spreading."

I smirked and rolled my eyes. At least I had tried.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I had to end with that last bit. Snotlout's quests are the funniest in the game. The next chapter will wrap up Icestorm Island.


	3. Chapter 3

"You will enrich your life immeasurably if you approach it with a sense of wonder and discovery, and always challenge yourself to try new things." - Nate Berkus

Chapter 3

Months passed. Gobber finally built a classroom and dorms, which provided better shelter than an igloo. More students also began to arrive. Many of them turned to me for help since I was a veteran on the island. It was a nice change of pace.

I continued to work with Skulder the archaeologist. Every few weeks we would find another tablet that fit into the petroglyph until, at last, we found a piece that led to an amazing discovery. I recognized the image on the most recent stone, and like we had in the past, we made our way to the correct location.

I led the way through the ice caves I had discovered early on, stopping in front of the statue depicted in the image. Behind the statue lay a deep, dark tunnel blocked by a thick layer of ice.

"Impressive work, Brennda!" Skulder said. "You would make a fine archaeologist. I should recruit you for my next expedition. Let's explore deeper down this ice tunnel. The passage is blocked by a thick wall of ice. I don't suppose you have a torch or some heat source that could melt it?"

"I've got something better," I said. I turned to my trusty Skill, who stood by my side. "Bolt, do you want to see what you can do?"

I swear I saw the dragon grin before he let loose one of his lightning bolts, exploding the ice into tiny pieces.

"Absolutely brilliant! I am not used to receiving help from dragons. It's marvelous watching you and Bolt work together. Onward, my friend! Follow the passage into the depths."

It pleased me to see that Skulder was slowly learning to accept dragons. He still could not touch Bolt, but he tolerated his presence and did not look at him in fear. My thoughts were cut short when my friend suddenly stopped. Curious, I peered into the room before us.

"These must be the ruins of an ancient civilization. Astounding!" Skulder exclaimed. "Over there! Isn't it incredible that those buildings still stand strong after all these centuries? Let's investigate!"

I followed him as I took a long look at our surroundings. We were in what looked like a tiny village hidden away in a cave. There was something almost mystical about it, like we were stepping into the past. I could see why my friend enjoyed this work.

"These buildings are very well-preserved," Skulder said. "Unlike many Vikings buildings today, these buildings are mostly made out of stone. This city has been abandoned for thousands of years. I wonder what happened to the Vikings that lived here so long ago? There's an old ship here. Perhaps they sailed away?"

"Or they died off?" I suggested. I frowned when I realized I was being a bit too morbid.

But Skulder merely chuckled. "Solving the mysteries of the past is what archaeologists do. I have so many questions! What were the ancient Vikings like? Where did they go? Why did they leave? So many mysteries to uncover! It's what archaeologists live for, and we've only scratched the surface. Let's keep going."

We continued to explore the ancient city together. There were many wonderful paintings that told stories of the past. And a statue of a Groncicle suggested the Vikings who lived there were friendly with dragons! We came to a stop, however, when we reached a stone door.

"It looks like this door was designed like a puzzle, with rotating circular parts," Skulder said. "Once a key is placed in this slot, the door should open. We must find the key if we want to proceed. In the meantime, I must record our findings in my journal. We have much research to do!"

I nodded. "Right!"

Bolt stepped forward and sniffed the door. I smiled at him. It looked like he really wanted to find out what lay behind as well!

***

I ran into Hiccup upon exiting the ice caves with Bolt. Excitedly, I told him about Skulder's and my discovery.

"You found an ancient city in the caves?" he said. "Wow! That's amazing. I want to see it too!"

"Skulder should still be in there if you want to take a look."

Hiccup smiled. "I sure will. Oh, I nearly forgot. I visited our little Groncicle buddy and he looked a little restless. He likes you a lot, Brennda. Could you go keep an eye on him? You can let him wander, but follow him around wherever he goes!"

I nodded. "Will do." We set off in opposite directions. I had made it a point to visit the Groncicle every now and then, but it had been awhile since my last visit. When I found him near his nest, he was anxiously running back and forth. "Hey, little guy, is there somewhere you want to go?"

The baby Groncicle stopped and peered up at me as if considering me. Then he raced at me, darting between my legs. I laughed and followed him.

Bolt and I chased after the ice dragon for awhile. He seemed to have fun just letting off steam. Then he steered us back to our campsite. He stopped right outside the ice caves just as Hiccup emerged.

"Oh, hey, Brennda," said the young Viking. "That city is amazing! And how is out friend doing?" He bent down to watch the Groncicle. The baby darted back and forth and then pointed his nose towards the caves. "It looks like our little buddy wants to explore the ice caves. Maybe he wants to see the city too! Well, he shouldn't go alone. Let's follow him."

We rushed into the caves after him. The little guy appeared to be very excited about something now. And then they came into view: three adult Groncicles sitting near a large ice nest. Our baby stopped in front of them and yipped happily.

"Wow," I said.

"A family of Groncicles!" Hiccup said. "They must live here in the ice caves. What an amazing discovery! Now we can see Groncicles in their natural habitat and learn about how they uniquely function as a dragon species."

I walked closer to inspect the nest. It appeared the Groncicles had eaten snow and then used their ice breath to create the nest. It was very fascinating! The dragons appeared friendly, so I moved closer and touched one of them on his back. He turned into my touch, so I stroked his back.

"You're doing great, Brennda!" Hiccup said. "I'm glad you helped our little buddy find his long-lost family. I only hope we can do the same for Toothless. Someday..." He cast a sad glance at his Night Fury.

"I'm sure you will," I said. "If anyone can do it, you can."

***

Bolt and I flew out over the ocean at Icestorm Island. We were in search of a sea monster. An alleged sea monster. Hiccup came to me explaining that Snotlout was freaked out about seeing a sea monster not far from shore. Hiccup thought it might be a new dragon, so he told me to go take a look.

First, I noticed Snotlout keeping watch on the huge glacier. I figured it might not be a bad idea to get his perspective on the situation, so I flew down to greet him.

"Brennda!" Snotlout exclaimed. "Thank Thor you're here!"

I dismounted Bolt and took a cautious step towards the Viking. "Yeah... Hiccup said you saw a sea monster?"

"That's right. Man, you should've seen it! It was a gigantic sea monster with a dozen heads and sharp horns! Hookfang and I tried to scare it off, but I think it's still out there. Fly over the ocean and see if you can spot it. The monster has mottled gray skin and multiple heads. You can't miss it!"

I stared at him. "If this is like the 'fire in the sky' incident..."

"Hey, I saved our lives!"

I rolled my eyes. "Right. I'll go take a look at this 'monster.'"

So, Bolt and I once again took flight over the ocean. I scanned the horizon for any movement. Surprisingly, I did see something out then, and Bolt swooped in close. 

Upon drawing near, I realized it was not a single sea monster; it was multiple monsters! Actually, they looked like an odd animal. They were sea creatures with long, pointy horns. In any case, they did not appear threatening in the least. I flew back to the glacier to inform Snotlout.

"Oh, it's not a monster?" Snotlout said after I finished my report. "Well, it was a little foggy. Anyone could make that mistake!"

I smirked. "Right."

I flew back to Hiccup to let him know what was going on. He too was relieved we had nothing to worry about. He explained the animals were narwhals, the 'unicorn of the sea.' They were cool little creatures, and we ought to respect their home - meaning Snotlout and Hookfang could not scare them off. All in all, it was nice to learn about our friendly neighbors.

***

It had been five months since I discovered Icestorm Island. Life had become pretty enjoyable. There was only one person I did not like: Mildew. Sure, I acted like I liked him. I had to. He was always complaining about our dragons and blaming them for things they didn't do. I had to find the real cause and fix the problem for him.

Then one day I discovered something horrible. I followed a trail of destroyed trees that led to the ice caves. I ran into my Groncicle friend, who had grown considerably. He appeared depressed about something, so I followed him into the caves and to his nest. Except... the nest had been destroyed. And the eggs that had once sat there were gone! The other Groncicles stared up at me with sad eyes.

Before I could investigate, Mildew emerged from a tunnel. "Ah, Brennda," he said. "What a pleasant surprise! Oh, don't worry. I was just leaving. I got what I came here for. It's been an interesting treasure hunt, and I managed to get rid of some pesky neighbors in the process. It's been a good day!"

Well, that certainly sounded ominous. I waited a few minutes to make sure he had left and then dashed out to inform Hiccup. I found him quickly and explained the situation.

Hiccup frowned at my story's end. "Mildew destroyed the Groncicle nest and stole their eggs? That's terrible! I wonder if he's done anything else to them. As dragon trainers, it's our duty to protect dragons and their habitats from being destroyed. I'll talk to Mildew and make sure he doesn't try anything like this again. Thanks for looking out for the Groncicles, Brennda. Can you fly around his house with Bolt and look for anything suspicious? We'll want to check just in case he's done anything to harm the Groncicles."

"I'm on it."

We started with Mildew's house, the most suspicious place. Seeing nothing of interest, I turned to the ocean. It was there that I found four frozen eggs. I quickly retrieved them and returned them to the Groncicles in the ice caves.

But my work was not done yet. I noticed the Groncicles slowly rebuilding their nest. I thought the least I could do was help them find food so they could focus on a single task. I fished up enough Artic Char for all of them and brought them back. They seemed grateful for the meal. Next, I found a bunch of fresh snow for them to eat so they could build their nest faster.

My teenage Groncicle friend nuzzled me happily. I smiled as I stroked his head. "You know, I should probably name you. How about 'Glacier'?" The Groncicle let out a happy noise. "After we finish this nest, do you want to explore the island together?"

Glacier ran around in a circle. Then he stopped and nudged me with his nose.

I laughed. "I'll take that as a 'yes.'"

***

The weeks flew by. The headmaster made a visit to the island, and I gave him a tour. He seemed fascinated by the Speed Stingers I discovered early on. Together, we were able to slowly tame them. Another time, I took Skulder back to the School of Dragons for a visit. He was very impressed. Once back on the island, we continued working to get into the secret room we found.

One evening, I entered the ancient city to find Skulder already at work. He smiled when he saw me. "Brennda, how nice of you to stop by! I was just speaking to your friend, that Mildew fellow. He was asking me all about the ancient stone map fragments and the possibility of finding artifacts on this island. It's good to see him so inspired by our work! Can you invite him to the Viking ruins? I would love to show him what we've found. Go north from his house! I think I saw him going that way."

I plastered a smile on my face. "Sure. I'll do that." As I ran through the caves, my smile turned into a frown. What could Mildew be up to now? Somehow, I doubted he was interested in archaeology.

I flew north of Mildew's house just as my friend suggested. This led me out over the ocean. I squinted my eyes when I saw a ship in the distance, anchored near a small island. My eyes landed on the sails, depicting the image of... a Skrill. My heart dropped to my stomach. I would know that sail anywhere. It was a Berserker ship. And Mildew was conversing with them.

Bolt snarled as if he recognized the danger as well. "Shh... It's alright," I whispered. "No lightning. We can't let them see you, or they'll-" They would capture him. And perhaps they would capture me and force both of us to fight for them. I would not allow that. "We have to get out of here. Quietly."

I managed to convince Bolt to turn around. He gently flapped his wings, and we glided towards camp. Fortunately, Hiccup and Toothless were already there. Once we landed, and jump to the ground and ran to my friend.

"Hiccup!" I cried. "It's an emergency! I saw a Berserker ship just off of the island, and Mildew is talking to them! I think he may be working with them. Mildew did mention to Skulder he was interested in the artifacts in the ancient city."

"Oh no, this isn't good," Hiccup said. "The Berserkers will take the artifacts for themselves, and all of our hard-earned work will be wasted. Not to mention, they'll probably wreck havoc in the ice caves looking for it."

"That's for sure. And if they happen to catch sight of my Skrill..." I gave a sad look to Bolt.

"I won't let that happen," Hiccup said firmly. "Brennda, Toothless and I will scope out the situation at the cove. I need you to go back to the caves and warn Skulder. Hurry!"

I nodded. "I'm on it."

I dashed into the caves with Bolt on my heels. I was breathing heavily by the time I found Skulder in the ruins. I quickly explained the situation to him. He admitted that the Berserkers had stolen his research in the past, but he would not let that happen again. I told him I would do what I could to help. Then I set out to the cove in case Hiccup needed help.

The ship had disappeared by the time I returned, leaving only Mildew, Hiccup, and Toothless on the island. The two Vikings appeared to be in an intense discussion.

"I did not lead the Berserkers to this island, Hiccup," Mildew said. "How could you accuse me of such a thing? I'm hurt!" He suddenly turned on me. "It was probably _her_! She's one of them isn't she?"

I glared at him and Bolt growled, lightning dancing between his wings.

"Brennda would never do that," Hiccup said before I could defend myself. "She's loyal to Berk now. But you know, Mildew, if you truly have nothing to do with the Berserkers, I'm sure you wouldn't mind if we took back what they stole, right? They left that chest in the water during their escape. Could you pick it up, Brennda?"

"On it," I said. I glided onto the water on Bolt, and the Skrill snatched the chest in his claws. "I'll bring this back to Skulder. It might be important."

"Alright. Good luck."

It turned out the chest _was_ important. The chest held another stone tablet that fit into the larger image. Now only one piece remained. Skulder and I agreed we needed to work as quickly as possible in case the Berserkers returned with reinforcements. I left the caves to scan the horizon for Berserker ships using the telescope. Thankfully, we were in the clear. Skulder and I set to work.

We used the image on the new tablet to find the location of the last piece of the puzzle. Finally, we had it in our hands, and the image was complete. I put the stone in place and stepped back to look at the petroglyph. The carvings seemed to point to the Groncicle statue in the ancient ruins, so that was where we headed next.

We pieced together all of the clues in the ancient room, and then finally we opened the secret door. A spectacular sight awaited us. Magnificent treasures and artifacts filled the small room, giving it a very intimate feel.

"Oh my stars, it's beautiful," Skulder said in awe. "I have been searching for this room ever since I found the first piece of the petroglyph. What an incredible find! I can't wait to analyze it all. Take a look at this artifact on this pedestal. These Vikings thought this item was important and placed it on a spot of honor in their treasure room. I can't figure out what it is!"

I stepped closer to the pedestal and looked at the object. It appeared to be some sort of rounded glass with a brown border to protect it. "It reminds me of a telescope lens," I said. "Maybe it's for a device like that."

"Perhaps. I wonder what it could have been used for?"

We continued to explore the room until we realized we needed to act fast in case we were discovered by Berserkers. We collected all of the items into one place. Skulder said he wanted to take notes before finding some place safe to store them, so I left him to inform Hiccup of our discovery.

Hiccup congratulated me on my find. He had been watching for Berserker ships, but he could not see much because of the fog, which just cleared up. I offered to take another look through the telescope.

This time, the image I saw had my heart pounding. Dozens of Berserker ships were headed our way! "Bolt, we _have _to get out of here!" I dared not let him fly in case he was seen, so we ran back to camp as fast as we could. "HICCUP! We have a problem!"

"Whoa, calm down," Hiccup said. "What did you see?"

"Dozens of ships! I have to get Bolt out of here. You know they'd kill to get their hands on a Skrill!"

"I know, I know. You're right. We can't stand against that many Berserker warriors. They'll overwhelm us, even with dragons at our side! I'll raise the alarm to get back to Berk."

I nodded. "Right. Sounds good." I paused. "What about Mildew? I know he was working against us, but the Berserkers will be furious if they find out he lost the chest they stole."

"I don't want anything to happen to him either. Why don't you go warn him he might be in danger? And come right back!"

"You can count on me!"

I made Bolt stay behind as I dashed up to Mildew's house. He was not outside, so I pounded on his door until he opened. Then I frantically explained what was going on.

Mildew appeared surprised at my warning. "You want to help me? But I've been working against you this entire time and accused _you _of being the traitor."

"It doesn't matter," I said. "I don't want to see _anyone_ hurt."

His eyes widened. "You... you're a good Viking. We built Berk with good Viking values like yours, not on the backs of dragons." He appeared sad for a second, but then resolve overtook his face. "I'll talk to them and buy you time to escape. Go on without me."

Now it was my turn to be surprised. "Thank you!" As I dashed away, I thought I understood him a little bit better.

By the time I returned to camp, Hiccup had gathered everyone together. He told me he would lead them all back to Berk, but I was to fly ahead on my speedy Skrill and warn everyone of the coming threat. I protested that they might not believe me, but he said he had faith in me. So off I flew

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I decided to end it here. Next chapter will finish up the last bit of Icestorm Island, and then we'll get into Call of the Death Song.


	4. Chapter 4

"Each person, with his or her history of being accepted or rejected, with his or her past history of inner pain and difficulties in relationships, is different. But in each one there is a yearning for communion and belonging, but at the same time a fear of it. Love is what we most want, yet it is what we fear the most." - Jean Vanier

Chapter 4

I flew directly to the school in search of the headmaster. Instead, I found Chief Stoick talking to Heather outside of the lab. I stumbled off Bolt as soon as he landed, gasping for breath. The Vikings stopped their conversation to give me curious looks.

"Is everything alright, lassie?" Stoick said.

I shook my head. "I just got back from Icestorm Island, and I saw dozens of Berserker ships headed towards it! Hiccup is evacuating everyone and asked me to give the warning here."

Stoick frowned. "This is distressing news."

"How can we believe _her_?" said a random student who happened to pass by. "_She_ is a Berserker." Several other Vikings nodded their agreement.

My heart pounded. This was exactly what I feared. "What would I gain from warning you about an attack?"

The boy shrugged. "I don't know, I'm not a Berserker."

"My dragon is in more danger than any other. They would kidnap him if they saw him!"

"Or ask you to lead the charge."

"This is ridiculous," Heather said. "Brennda has been with us for a year and a half, and she has never shown any signs of disloyalty. We have to believe her."

"I agree," Stoick said. "If Hiccup trusts her, then so do I." He nodded at me. "I will send someone to sound the alarm. Thank you for your warning. We should all meet at the Great Hall at Berk."

Relief flooded through my chest. They believed me. They actually believed me. "Y-yes. Thank you, sir." I returned to Bolt, and the two of us started for Berk. It did not take long until I heard the alarm horn blaring. Everyone at the school and in Berk would hear it.

I hovered in the air as I watched Vikings rush into the Great Hall. Soon, the students from Icestorm Island arrived, led by Hiccup. I waited until they were all safe inside and then swooped down to the Great Hall. Stoick stood near the door.

"Brennda," he said, "Hiccup told me the details of your escape from Icestorm Island. You spotted the Berserkers and bought everyone the time we needed to get out safely. You are a hero! I'm proud of you."

"Hero? Me?" I never thought I would hear those words, especially from the chief of a tribe that used to be my enemies. I had been nothing on Berserker Island. I lied and stole just to survive. But now... now I felt like I had a purpose. Like I belonged. "Thank you."

"I should be the one thanking you. Now, let's get inside. I'm sure your friends would like to see you."

My friends. I had friends. An odd feeling filled my chest as I entered the Great Hall. The first thing I saw was Astrid's smiling face.

"You did it, Brennda!" she said. "I have to admit, you're pretty amazing."

"Thanks, Astrid. I did my best." It meant a lot to hear her say that considering she was one of the Vikings who had been the most suspicious of me at first.

"I can see that. You helped bring everyone back safely from Icestorm Island like a true Viking warrior! I know that we had a close call, but you're among friends now. Relax and talk to our friends here in the Great Hall."

I smiled. "Yes, I will do that." I walked past her and looked around. I spotted Johann first, so I made my to him and greeted him. I remembered all this had started because of him. Luckily, he was back on his feet with a new ship.

"A broken boat is a small price to pay for all that we have gained from this journey, my dear friend," he said. "I'm glad to have been the catalyst for all the things that have happened on Icestorm Island. I knew I could trust you to see it to the end!"

I chatted with him for a couple more minutes before breaking it off. It I let him keep going, he could talk for ages. Next, I found Hiccup among the crowd. I was about to speak to him when he looked past me.

"Is that our Groncicle friend?" he said.

I spun around to find Glacier standing behind me next to Bolt. When did he get there? "He must have followed us back from Icestorm Island, right, boy?" I rubbed his head, and he wigged happily.

Hiccup chuckled. "Well, I'm glad he's here. He seems to like you a lot. You know, I think dragons can tell if their partner is a good person or not. From the way this dragon took to you - and Bolt too - I know that you're a fantastic dragon trainer."

The warm glow in my chest grew at his words. "Thank you, Hiccup. That means a lot to me." Especially coming from him, the first dragon trainer.

He nodded. "You know, Icestorm Island can't be the only undiscovered island beyond Berk. I'm sure there are countless more out there with exciting new dragons to train. And when we find them, I'll be relying on your help again!"

I smiled. "It would be my honor."

"Oh, Skulder has been asking for you. He's around here somewhere."

"Thanks. I'll go find him." I pushed through the crowd until I found my archaeologist friend standing in the back. "Skulder!"

"My dear friend!" he said warmly. "Thank you for everything. It feels like everything rushed by so quickly. Together we made discoveries, solved ancient riddles, and unearthed an ancient treasure! I am indebted to you for all your help, but more importantly, I am grateful to have made a true friend."

"Me too," I said honestly. "I had a lot of fun. Thank you for believing in me when many others wouldn't."

Skulder shook his head. "You need to have more faith in yourself, Brennda. You're an amazing Viking, and more people need to know it."

I smiled and looked away, suddenly feeling bashful. "So... what's next for you?"

"Well, our discoveries only revealed more unanswered questions. That's the fun of archaeology! For instance, where did the ancient Vikings of Icestorm Island go? How did they use these artifacts? My next journey will be to solve these mysteries. I hope we can work together when our paths cross again."

"Me too." I felt saddened that we had to part now, but I did feel hopeful that we would have more adventures together in the future.

"Thank you again, Brennda. Thank you. When the time comes when you need me to help fulfill one of your dreams, I will be there."

I dipped my head in thanks. "And I will appreciate it." Dreams? I did not have any dreams at the moment. Perhaps I should work on that.

***

I returned to my previous routine at the School of Dragons. Except this time, there were not as many hostile stares or whispers. Some Vikings even said I was a_ hero_. It was a nice change, to say the least.

One day after training, Astrid found me and pulled me aside. She claimed she needed my help with some big idea. We stopped outside the training grounds where no one would bother us. "What is it?" I asked curiously.

"We are so lucky to be able to train dragons!" she said excitedly. "They're such amazing creatures, full of majesty and strength. As dragon trainers, I think we have a duty to put that power to good use. There's a lot of things out there that could harm Berk. We need to defend Berk and the school from all threats, and our dragons will help!"

"So, you want to get a group together to defend Berk and the school?"

Astrid nodded. "We'll call it the 'Berk Watch.'"

"That does sound like a good idea. What do you need me for?" There was no way she wanted me to join... was there?

"Do you think you can find seven gold nuggets in the wilderness for me? Only the most skilled dragon trainers should help out in the defense of the village. After all, it could get very dangerous! I wanted to give a special medallion to every trainer who helps show they're elite."

My smile faltered. "Oh, uh, sure. Bolt and I will find them no problem."

Astrid beamed at me. "Thanks, Brennda! Take them to Hiccup when you're finished. I'll let him know what's going on."

I climbed onto Bolt's back, and we set off for the wilderness. True to my word, I soon found seven nuggets of gold. It seemed like Astrid had seven members in mind. I pushed the thoughts aside as I searched for Hiccup. I found him by Gobber's smithy in Berk.

"Hey there, Brennda," he greeted me. "I heard about Astrid's plan for some medallions. It's easy work, so I'll have it ready for you in the blink of an eye."

I gave him a small smile. "Thanks, Hiccup." I shifted on my feet, attempting to patiently wait while he worked. Fortunately, it did not take him long to complete the task.

"There you go!" Hiccup said, handing me five smooth medallions and keeping two for himself. "There medallions will be the pride of any dragon trainer who has it. Can you deliver these medallions to the senior dragon trainers here? I'm sure you know who I'm talking about."

I nodded. "Of course." Off we flew once again. I delivered a medallion to Fishlegs, Ruffnut, Snotlout, Tuffnut, and Astrid.

The young, female Viking grinned when I handed her the medallion. "Wow, it looks even better than I expected! Hiccup is really great at this. Thank you so much for helping out!"

"No problem." Something suddenly occurred to me. "Why did you have Hiccup make seven? He doesn't need two."

Astrid smirked. "You know, Brennda, the headmaster told me that you're progressing really well in your studies. And after what happened on Icestorm Island... Well, show me what you can do and I'll let you join the Berk Watch."

My eyes widened in surprise. "Really? You want me?"

She nodded. "It won't be easy, Brennda. I have very high standards! Show me your score in Fireball Frenzy."

Fireball Frenzy was a training game that consisted of shooting down targets with your dragon. It was Snotlout's favorite, and I saw him there when I approached. Now I had two people watching me. I took a deep breath. It was time to show them what I could do.

Bolt and I gave it our all. We were very focused and managed to beat our previous high score. Emerging from the game, I was pleased to see that Snotlout and Astrid seemed impressed.

"That was pretty good!" Snotlout said. "That was almost as good as my runs through Fireball Frenzy. I think you're a shoe-in for the Berk Watch."

I grinned at him. "Thanks!" That was high praise coming from him.

"Snotlout's right, you did a great job!" Astrid said. "Show me your dragon flying skills are up to snuff. Fly out to sea and find a flag I left on the sea and find the flag I left in the village!"

"I'm on it. Come on, Bolt." I felt confident now as we flew to Berk. It was almost fun dipping down and collecting flags. I loved working with my Skrill, and it excited me to think that we would get to defend our new home together. We made quick work of the flags and then met Astrid in the center of the village.

"Yeah! You're the Viking!" she said. "How's your hunting skills, Brennda? For your final challenge, I'll hide a coin within the village. You'll need to have better vision than a Nadder to find it. Good luck!"

I took a long, deep breath. "We can do this Bolt." We took to the skies again, but this time we took a slow and easy strategy. It was my dragon who spotted the object. He flew in close, and I snatched it from the stairs. I had a proud smile on my face as I presented the prize to Astrid.

"You're wonderful!" she beamed. "I'm glad to call you the newest member of the Berk Watch! Give that coin and my two flags to Hiccup and he'll hand you your own medal."

I hurried back to Hiccup to report my success. He did not appear surprised at the news.

"Astrid told me how well you did in her trials," he said. "Great job! I know I can depend on you to be a skilled dragon rider. Here, I found a sturdy string so you can wear your medal around your neck."

I felt awed as I accepted the medallion and hung it around my neck. I could hardly believe. I was part of the Berk watch with the legendary dragon riders. That was not bad for a Berserker! "Thank you, Hiccup," I said, dipping my head. "I won't let you down."

Hiccup smiled. "I know you won't. It's dangerous work, but it's necessary. I'll count on you to keep your eye out for suspicious behavior. Remember to be careful."

"You got it!"

***

My first few months on the Berk Watch gave me little excitement. Still, it felt good to know that I would be there when trouble arose. And trouble did arise one morning in late winter, nearly two years after I enrolled in the school.

I had just arrived on Berk to start a patrol when I saw it: a large, orange dragon attacking the village. It spewed an orange substance from its mouth that grew hard whenever it landed, and many of the huts were filled with this substance. I quickly scanned the area. Fishlegs was running around in circles like a chicken with its head caught off while Astrid and Stormly were trying to fight off the intruder.

"What's going on?" I called.

"Be very careful, Brennda," Astrid said, dodging a blast from the dragon. "The Death Song is an extremely dangerous hunter. It can trap you and Bolt in its deadly amber blast!"

"Got it." I flew to her side and then zeroed in on our foe. "Why is this dragon here?"

"It must be seeking a new habitat. Perhaps Death Song Island has run out of food, water, or space. I wish I knew; we can't let this dangerous dragon invade Berk. Death Songs are an invasive species that will destroy our ecosystem if it makes our island its new home."

My heart sunk as I thought of this dangerous dragon trapping everyone on Berk. "Then we better come up with a plan."

"Watch out!"

Bolt darted out of the way just as the Death Song shot at us with its amber blast. The dragon loud a loud cry and suddenly flew away. I took a deep breath to calm my racing heart. "Well, that was a little too close for comfort."

Astrid breathed a sigh of relief. "The Death Song is flying away! Look like it's done attacking Berk, but I'm sure it will return to complete its invasion. I need to talk to Stoick and Hiccup about securing the island and assessing the damage. Will you talk to Heather about finding Monstrous Nightmare gel to dissolve all this Death Song amber?"

I nodded. "I'm on it."

Bolt and I flew back to the school as fast as we could. We found Heather at her lab, and I quickly explained the situation to her.

"What a nightmare!" Heather exclaimed, throwing her arms in the air. "There aren't enough Monstrous Nightmares around to clear the entire island. Maybe we can create a new compound in the lab that will work as a substitute."

"Good idea," I said.

"I'll start researching now, but there's a bigger problem. I saw the Death Song fly over the bridge toward Sven's farm. We need to go make sure everyone there is alright. Please go across the bridge to Sven's Farm. I'll send help so you won't face danger alone."

"You can count on me." I returned to Bolt, and we started off once more.

I dismounted when we arrived at Sven's farm. I wanted to be careful and move slowly. I could see hardened amber everywhere. I tensed when I heard something behind me. Spinning around, I came face-to-face with a a Viking in a cloak and mask and a Razorwhip.

"Hello, dragon trainer," he said. "I am here to assist you with the Death Song."

I carefully looked him over. It was odd that he would hide his identity, but if Heather had sent him, then I would trust him. "Thank you. I'm Brennda, and this is Bolt. I was about to take a closer look."

The four of us stepped deeper into the farm. I stopped when I saw it: a large nest made out of amber suspended in the air by attached strands of amber. It would have been beautiful if it did not represent such a threat.

"Now there's a sight you don't see every day!" said the rogue dragon rider. "Each animal has certain behaviors that help them survive. The Death Song must be using its amber to build a secure, unbreakable home. I've seen this with bees or spiders. They collect materials for their nests. Death Songs only seem to collect animals - for lunch! We need to make a few more observations. I'll keep an eye out for any dragons while you get closer to the nest - carefully! We don't want to be the Death Song's next meal."

That sounded like as good as a plan as I could come up with. I got back on Bolt and had him inch forward. It looked like there was an opening in the nest on the side, but I could see nothing in it.

"Brennda, look! Over there! Is that a dragon?"

I glanced over my shoulder to find the rider pointed at a Monstrous Nightmare stuck in the amber. "Oh no!"

"This dragon is trapped!" the rogue rider said. "Dragon fire won't dissolve this amber. We can't leave this dragon here in the Death Song's clutches. The alchemist of the School of Dragons might be able to figure out the science behind this amber-like substance if she has a sample to work with. Can you chop off a piece?"

"Sure." I climbed off Bolt and ran to the amber. I had to act quickly. I pulled my ax from its place on my back and chopped off a small slice of the amber. I snatched the sample and returned to Bolt just as a loud screech filled my ears.

"Look out!"

I clambered onto Bolt, and we got out of the way of the Death Song's blast. Another close call! The rider shot at the wild dragon with his Razorwhip while Bolt and I flew towards the exit. Seconds later, the rider followed, and we both landed outside the farm.

"We have to save that dragon!" the rogue rider insisted. "I'm sorry I can't tell you who I am, but please take the nest sample to the alchemist and help her find a way to free that dragon. Please hurry, Brennda!"

"Alright, I'm on my way." This was no time to ask questions or doubt his intentions. Bolt and I hurried to the school. We had a dragon to save!


	5. Chapter 5

"If four things are followed - having a great aim, acquiring knowledge, hard work, and perseverance - then anything can be achieved." - A. P. J. Abdul Kalam

Chapter 5

I worked together with Heather to create a substance that would dissolve the Death Song amber. Then I used the solution to free the Monstrous Nightmare at Sven's Farm. It was too risky to spend time dissolving the huge nest, so I ran to find Hiccup and report my success.

Hiccup thanked me for my help so far. Then he suggested I talk to Gobber about building Berk's defenses. Gobber was all too eager to assist. He set to work fixing up his giant crossbow. The finished product was quite impressive. Gobber promised to build even more so we would be well defended.

The next day, Hiccup called an important meeting in the Great Hall. He seemed eager about something, so I suspected it was about more than simply warning everyone about the Death Song. He asked me to go to the docks and wait for Skulder to arrive on one of Johann's ships and bring him to the meeting.

By the time I made it to the docks, my old friend had already arrived. I grinned and ran the rest of the way to meet him. "Skulder!"

The archaeologist smiled brightly at me. "Hello, Brennda. I'm glad to see you. It's been a while! I travel far and wide as an archaeologist as I look for ancient civilizations. In remote places, I carefully dig up ancient man-made artifacts to figure out how they lived. I love my work, especially when we make amazing discoveries like we did in Icestorm Island, but nothing feels as good as coming home. So, what grand adventure is Hiccup planning this time? I can't wait! Now, if I'm correct, the meeting is in the Great Hall. Take me there, my friend!"

I led the way back up to the center of Berk. While we walked, I filled Skulder in on the situation with the Death Song. He appeared troubled at the news, but I assured him that Hiccup would not have invited him if it were not important. Finally, we arrived at the Great Hall and entered together.

"Ah! Welcome to the party, Brennda," Hiccup said, "and thank you for bringing our guest. I wanted to show you this artifact we recovered from the ship graveyard recently. I think it might hold the key to solving our Death Song problem... and might help us with other dragon problems in the future!"

He held out a long, cylindrical device. He set it on a pedestal, aiming it a blank wall. "It's called the Dragon Eye. When the light from a dragon's fireball projects through a specific Dragon Eye lens, it shows us vital information about the dragon class. Here's how to activate it. Toothless, please give me a fireball."

The Night Fury shot a small fireball near the Dragon Eye. From the lens came a projection that displayed images of a dragon and runes describing the dragon. I whistled. Now, that was something else.

Hiccup grinned. "Isn't that amazing? It has maps and information about the dragon, even things that aren't in the Book of Dragons. The creators of the Dragon Eye had intimate knowledge of all sort of dragons. It makes me a bit envious!"

"This means that the artifact we recovered at Icestorm Island is a Dragon Eye lens," Skulder said. "How exciting!"

"I was thinking the same thing," I said.

"If we use it with this device, we can learn even more about the island and the Groncicles that call it home." Skulder appeared thoughtful. "If different Dragon Eye lenses hold information on the different dragon classes, we would only need to find the Death Song lens to learn more about the dragon. Well, I'll be glad to help out. Finding and studying ancient man-made artifacts is my expertise! With Brennda's help, I'm sure we'll be solving the Death Song's mysteries in no time! "

I smiled and nodded. "For sure!"

"So now we know what to do to make Berk safe," said Astrid. "We need the Death Song Dragon Eye lens so that we can figure out how to defeat it. It could be anywhere... so it's time for all hands on deck!" She looked around at her fellow dragon riders. "We'll check all the surrounding islands to see if we can find the lens."

"What do you want me to do?" I asked.

"We found the Dragon Eye in the ship graveyard. We didn't see lenses while we were there, but maybe we may have missed something. I need you to check it out. You can fly out to sea and you'll find the way."

"I'm on it." Eager to help, I exited the Great Hall and immediately flew off on Bolt.

The ship graveyard was a very creepy place. It was gloomy and foggy and filled with broken down dragon hunter ships. Still, I took my time searching for a lens. I could not find it anywhere. Then movement caught my attention. I flew closer to investigate.

Bolt growled as we got closer to one of the ships. Giants eels wiggled out of the water, pulling at the ship from the sides. And in the air hovered the rogue dragon rider and his Razorwhip!

"Brennda!" the rider said upon noticing me. "Thank Thor you're here. I need your help! I need to get into the ship but those giant eels are keeping my Razorwhip at bay. Blast those eels so we can get to the ship, please!"

"Alright," I said. I still wondered about this rider, but this was no time for questions. "Let's do it, Bolt." My Skrill shot each of the eels once, temporarily stunning them. This gaze the rogue rider and I a chance to land on the deck. Then we entered the ship.

We walked in silence to the heart of the ship. I wanted to ask what was going on, but I was unsure how the rogue rider would respond. Finally, we entered a room, and he explained that there were Razorwhip eggs inside.

"Have you ever met a dragon like mine before?" he asked.

I shook my head.

"She's called a Razorwhip. They're pretty rare in the dragon world, and I'm the only one who's trained one before. They don't give their trust easily. The Razorwhip had a nest near Berk, but I moved them here when the Death Song attacked the island. I didn't realized that this ship was infested with giant eels. We need to get them someplace safe! Will you grab one of those eggs? Be very gentle with them."

"Of course." I carefully picked up one of the eggs and held it securely in my arms. We had to hurry back to the deck of the ship when the eels started to drag the ship down to get to the eggs.

We got back to our dragons just as the ship sank into the sea. I let out a breath of relief. I had had too many close calls the past couple of days.

"Wow, we got these eggs out just in the nick of time," said the rogue dragon rider. "I'm glad we make such a great team because I never could have done it without you." He paused. "My Razorwhip Windshear seems to be glad to know you risked your life to save the egg. Why don't you bring the egg back to the hatchery at the school? I know you can help train it to be a good dragon."

I dipped my head in acknowledgement. "I will do my best."

"I'm sorry, but I still can't tell you my secret identity. Innocent people would be hurt if my secret was revealed to the world, and I don't want that to happen. I hope I've proven that you can trust me."

"I trust you have your reasons. I hope one day you can tell me though."

He nodded. "I am sure I will see you at a later point."

We flew off in opposite directions.

I returned to Berk and recounted my adventure to Astrid. She praised me for my bravery even though I didn't find the Dragon Eye lens. Then I made my way to the hatchery to find a safe spot for the Razorwhip egg. I wondered when it would hatch. I could not ponder for long because Astrid told me to meet back up with her when I was ready for further directions.

I found her outside the Great Hall waiting for me. "You took care of the egg?" she said.

I nodded. "It will be safe now."

She smiled. "Good. Now about the Death Song... If the Dragon Eye lens isn't in the ship graveyard, we need to figure out where else it could be. Now, what I'm about to ask of you is very dangerous but it's our best option."

"I'm not afraid of danger," I declared.

A smile played on Astrid's lips. "Just what I like to hear. Snotlout scouted Death Song Island and he says that the dangerous dragon isn't there. Now is our best chance to look for the Dragon Eye lens! Skulder has been wracking his memories and he thinks he saw an artifact like it at the island. Will you talk to him?"

I saluted her. "No problem."

I found the archaeologist at the docks. He explained that he once had a campsite at Death Song Island because there were remnants of an ancient city there. He was eventually chased off by Death Songs. He was wary to go back, but he trusted me to protect him. We had to travel by ship since he could not ride a dragon.

The island sounded eerily quiet when we arrived. It had to be a good thing since it meant the Death Song was not around. We split up and searched for the Dragon Eye lens. I had no luck on my end.

The shriek of the Death Song had me alert. Oh no! Bolt flew me in the direction of the noise. I could not spot the dragon, but I did see something else: Skulder stuck in Death Song amber. And in his hand, he held a small lens.

His anxious eyes met mine. "It was here! The Death Song! I'm sure it will return to eat me at any moment. Save yourself, Brennda! Take the Dragon Eye lens and run."

I rolled my eyes. "Don't be so dramatic." I hoped off Bolt and strolled towards him. "I've got something that will help." I uncapped the solution I made with Heather and poured it over the amber, melting it and freeing Skulder.

The archaeologist breathed a long sigh of relief. "Oh, thank Odin! I always thought my life would end in the gullet of a giant dragon. I was certain that was happening today!"

I chuckled lightly. "Not on my watch."

"It's high time that we get out of here, Brennda! I don't want to see that terrifying dragon again. Let's return to Berk. Right now!"

"I couldn't agree more."

***

It turned out the lens Skulder found did not contain information on the Death Song. Instead, it described the Thunderdrum. Hiccup thought the information might be useful. The Thunderdrum is the Death Song's natural enemy because it is deaf and can't hear the song to lure it in. Hiccup said he would try to find a Thunderdrum to help us out, and we called it a day.

The following morning, I found myself with a lack of something to do. Everyone was already working on next steps, leaving me with nothing. Perhaps that was why I gave into Snolout's crazy demands so easily.

He came to me saying he had a brilliant idea to turn this terrible situation into something positive. He wanted me to go to Death Song Island and collect amber so that he could turn into marketable products. I had nothing better to do, so I decided to give it a go. Luckily, the Death Song was nowhere to be found while I snuck around on her island.

"This is it!" Snotlout said excitedly when I returned with the amber. "Oh, these pieces are worth their weight in gold. I can turn this into something very useful for us all."

I raised my eyebrows. "This I've got to see."

He grinned at me. "The possibilities are endless! I'm going to work on these amber inventions right away. I need you to talk to everyone so that they can get the first dibs on the goods. Can you make sure to get the word out so that people know that my special new items will be in stock in the Great Hall in an hour? Thanks, business partner."

I shrugged. "Sure." I was more curious than anything, so I set out to find some suckers - I mean, customers. Everyone I ran into had different reactions.

Gobber: "Snotlout thinks he can make something useful out of the Death Song amber? It'll be worth a laugh, at least. I'm in!" (That's probably the right response.)

Hiccup: "Oh, not again. Snotlout is up to no good! How did he rope you into one of his crazy schemes, Brennda?" (Yeah, I'd like to know that too.) "Well, I'll be there. I need to make sure whatever he's doing is harmless to Berk. C'mon, Toothless."

Astrid: "That muttonhead! This is a serious situation and he's just making it worse with his dumb money making plans. Oh, it's just like Snotlout to only think about himself!" (Eh, maybe he's trying to be helpful?)

Fishlegs: "How interesting! Did Snotlout say what he was making with the Death Song amber? I'm curious to find out! There might be some really interesting science behind his inventions..." (I kind of doubt that, Fishlegs...)

Ruffnut: "Did he make anything that I can use to hit my brother in his head? Oh, Tuffnut's done nothing wrong. I just like hitting him in the head." (Well, I'm not going to get into the middle of that.)

Tuffnut: "Well, I'll go... but this better be a catered event. If I'm going to be sold something, I expect to be wooed! Snotlout needs to make me feel appreciated if he wants me to spend my precious money." (No comment.)

Surprisingly, everyone showed up on time. Snotlout stood grinning proudly next to his products on display on several tables in the Great Hall.

"Ta-da!" he exclaimed. "Good Vikings of Berk, I have gathered here the greatest in Death Song amber technology. You're going to be shocked. You're going to be amazed. You're going to want to purchase two of everything! It's just 10 coins per invention. What a deal! Step right up to the tables to take a closer look. I have everything that you might possibly need. These items glisten in the sun with the golden hue of the Death Song!"

I stared at him. If anything, he knew how to put on a show. I moved to the first table where everyone was gathered.

"These mugs have great grip and perfect storage capacity!" Snotlout exclaimed. "The cup is translucent, so you can see your liquid while you enjoy it. The amber gets... sticky, with hot drinks. I would stick to cold brews with this cup."

The Vikings exchanged uneasy glances. Then we followed him to the next table.

"Can't get a good night's sleep because your dragon likes to snore? I'm looking at you here, Fishlegs. Use these Death Song amber ear plugs to shut out the world! You won't be hearing anything while the amber is covering your ears."

"That one actually makes sense," I said.

"Surprisingly," said Astrid.

Snotlout shot her a look before making his way to the final table. "This back scratcher is for that one spot on your back that you can never quite reach. If you get an itch there, it can be a terrible night! Use this Death Song amber back scratcher to satisfy that itch in style. Don't put too much pressure on it, though. If you aren't careful, you can tear right through your skin..."

"Very useful," I chuckled.

"Oh ho! Brennda, I saved the best for last. Come upstairs to meet me and you'll find your prize for helping me out."

"I wonder what that could be," I said as I watched him saunter up to the second level.

Astrid smirked. "You better go find out."

I rolled my eyes and made my way up the stairs. I immediately found my 'prize.' At first I was not sure what I was looking at. It was a statue of a... Viking? I looked at Snotlout.

He grinned. "I've made a little statue that you can put in your dorm, made out of the highest grade amber! I call it 'Snotlout in Repose'. You can have one for free, since you helped me out so much during this business venture. Don't ever say I never did you a favor!"

"Thank you, Snotlout," I said, stifling a laugh. I am not sure he caught my sarcasm, and it's just as well. He was an odd one, that was for certain. Still, there was something I liked about him.

I dragged the statue out the hall and was immediately stopped by Stoick. "Lassie, may I speak to you for a minute?" he said.

"It was all Snotlout's idea!" I said quickly. "I had nothing to do with it."

The chief gave me an odd look. He glanced at the statue. "I'm sure it was, but that's not what I need to talk to you about."

"Oh. What is it, chief?"

"I've heard much about this masked stranger who showed up after the Death Song arrived on Berk. I've heard he is a dragon rider with a well-raised Razorwhip and I've seen him help against the Death Song, but I want to know more. Find out the rogue dragon rider's identity for me." 

The request made me uneasy. The rogue dragon rider clearly had reasons for not wanting to reveal his identity, and I had come to respect that. But it was not like I could refuse an order from the chief. "Well... I'm not sure where I would even start, to be honest."

"Start with Gobber. He cleared some amber with the rogue dragon rider's help. He might be able to point you in the right direction."

I nodded. "Alright, I'll ask him." Though I was not sure what good it would do.

Gobber was all too eager to answer my questions. He wanted to solve the mystery as well. He said the rogue dragon rider helped dissolve Death Song amber on the bridge to Sven's farm. He suggested I search around for clues.

I stepped carefully onto the bridge and looked at the ground. Something reflecting light caught my eye. Peering closer, I realized it was a glass fragment. Awhile ago, Heather and I discovered we could make glass by feeding a Gronckle sandstone. I had Meatlug make some for her recently, actually. Hmm... Time to find Fishlegs.

"Hi, Brennda," Fishlegs greeted me when I found him and asked him about the glass. "Meatlug only made glass for you, Hiccup, and Heather. Why do you ask?"

_Very_ suspicious. I now had a pretty good hunch on the identity of the rogue dragon rider. I opened my mouth to respond, but I was cut short when Astrid ran up to me with a panicked look on her face.

"The Death Song is starting to expand its hunting area," she said. "It looks like it's not happy with the island of Berk and wants to hunt more!"

I looked back at Fishlegs. "Sorry, I'll explain later." I turned to Astrid, putting a determined expression on my face. "Take me to her."


	6. Chapter 6

"Few things help an individual more than to place responsibility upon him, and to let him know that you trust him." --Booker T. Washington

Chapter 6

The Death Song emerged from the hatchery as soon as Astrid and I arrived. She flew up high and disappeared in the distance.

"Whoa! Close call!" Astrid said. "I don't know if it's a good sign or a bad sign that the Death Song is leaving the school... did it find enough food to get him full? Uh oh... we better get inside the hatchery right away."

We darted inside the hatchery and immediately came to a halt. There was Death Song amber everywhere! And the baby dragons were in a frenzy.

"Oh no!" Astrid cried. "It stole dragon eggs! We need to get this clear of the amber right away. Can you use the solution you made with Heather to dissolve these Death Song amber pieces?"

I nodded. "Of course." I got to work dissolving the amber and freeing the baby dragons. I gently soothed them and made sure they were alright. Once they were calm, I left the hatchery with Astrid.

"We need an answer to the threat of the Death Song," she said. "Hiccup told me that the Thunderdrum might be a good response, but we need to figure that out fast and get moving on the solution."

"I'll go ask around and see if anyone has any ideas," I said.

Everyone had much to say about the problem but few offered solutions. Gobber had the best idea. He said he was continuing to work on Berk's defenses, and he had upgraded Hiccup's net shooter that had initially taken Toothless down. It was good to know he was on the job.

Gobber also told me he saw the rogue dragon rider flying towards the ship graveyard, looking like he was on a mission. I took off after him on Bolt, figuring he might need my help again.

He did appear relieved to see me once I arrived at the graveyard. "Brennda! Thank Odin you're here. I need your help."

"That's why I'm here," I said. I followed him to the deck of the same broken ship we had infiltrated last time. Today, however, a Thunderdrum paced anxiously on the deck, occasionally shooting one of the giant eels that tried to climb aboard.

"I think this dragon is Thornado, who used to be Stoick's dragon," the rogue rider said. "He seems desperate to go inside the ship, but these giant eels are attacking us. It's taking both of us to fight these eels off! We need you to explore the ship for us. Go down inside the ship and see why Thornado keeps trying to get in please."

"No problem."

"Watch your step!"

I flew onto the deck, careful to avoid the eels. Then I dismounted Bolt and made my way into the ship. It did not take me long to find the source of Thornado's problem. Three baby Thunderdrums were locked on a cage. They were not here the last time I was there. Who could have done this?

Oh well, I could worry about that later. I broke the lock with my axe and freed the dragons. The babies eagerly followed me back to the deck of the ship.

"Great work!" the rogue rider said.

Thornado gazed into my eyes and roared in gratitude.

***

The following day, I decided to check in with Heather. Except... I couldn't find her at her lab. A strange boy named Speedifist told me to search for her at Berk, so that's where I headed next.

Before I had a chance to search for my friend, the roar of the Death Song caught my attention. The sound came from Sven's farm! I immediately changed course. I found Thornado standing outside the entrance of the farm. He had followed me home the previous day after I saved his babies, and now he looked anxious to help. I mounted him and headed inside.

"Help!" the rogue dragon rider cried. "My bombs seem to get its attention and I need to keep it from eating Windshear. Have Thornado sonic blast it!"

My heart pounded in my chest. Windshear was caught in Death Song amber, and the Death Song hovered above her! This was no time to hesitate. "Come on, Thornado, I said." We flew up until we were level with the giant dragon, and then the Thunderdrum shot her with his sonic blast. This seemed to stun her for a moment.

"Yes it is working!" the rogue rider exclaimed. "Keep at it! Shoot the Death Song again!"

"We're on it." Thornado struck the Death Song twice more, and then she finally took off out of the farm. I flew to the ground and landed near the rogue rider.

"I need to dissolve the amber, but I'm all out of my solution. Can you free Windshear for me? We need to hurry and get out of here before the Death Song returns!"

I nodded. "Of course." I quickly found my solution and freed the Razorwhip. Windshear nuzzled me gratefully.

"We need to regroup and come up with a plan to get rid of this menace once and for all! Maybe we can figure out a scientific solution at the lab... "

I looked at her with raised eyebrows. Now I was certain I knew who she was. But it was too dangerous to confront her here. "I'll head there now." I found Bolt waiting outside of the farm, and the two of us flew back to the school.

Once there, I took my time walking back to the school. If I was right, I was in no hurry. Form I distance, I saw Heather dash to the lab. Then something caught my eye. A piece of glass stuck out of the glass next to the lab. I picked it up, careful not to cut myself. This was just the evidence I needed.

I confidently strode to the entrance of the lab and nodded at the alchemist. "Hello, Heather."

"Oh, hello, Brennda," Heather said. "Sorry I'm out of breath. I just came from the wilderness, and-" She stopped when I held out the glass. "What's that?"

"I found this on the ground. This is identical to a piece of the bottles the rogue dragon rider was throwing against the Death Song. And Fishlegs told me that Meatlug only made glass for me, Hiccup, and you. Is there something you'd like to tell me?"

Heather's smile fell, and she let out a long sigh. "Well... you're right, Brennda. I am the rogue dragon rider, and Windshear is my Razorwhip. You see, I've been on a crusade against Dagur's allies. He needs to pay for harming my village and my parents."

I stiffened when she mentioned Dagur. "I see."

"Don't think this means I hold anything against you even though you're a Berserker. You didn't choose your chief. And you trusted me as the rogue dragon rider even when you didn't know my identity, so I choose to trust you."

A small smile flickered on my face. "Thank you, Heather. I know Dagur needs to be stopped. But why all the secrecy?"

"When I put on the mask, I can act without fear that Dagur would hurt my friends or the School of Dragons as retaliation. I feel like I can make a difference. I hope you understand, Brennda. I did it to protect us."

I nodded. "I suppose I can see that. Well, enough of that. It's time to get back to business."

Heather smiled. "Right. I was rash in my attack of the Death Song. Let's use the scientific method to come up with a plan! As I see it, we need to solve two problems. First, how do we keep the Death Song from mesmerizing my dragon? And second, how do we keep the dragon from settling in Berk? Let's start with our research."

So, off I went to talk to the residents of Berk once again. This time, I received more helpful advice. The headmaster suggested the Death Song settled on Berk because she didn't have suitable food back on Death Song island. If we found a new food source for her, she would leave us alone. Phlegma the botanist added that we should destroy the nest to get the Death Song to leave. Both of those ideas could work if used together.

That solved the second problem Heather mentioned. Next, I turned to Fishlegs and asked about the first problem. He said the only way to stop our dragons from being mesmerized by the Death Song's song was to block out all noise. Then it hit me. Snotlout's amber earplugs!

I had never been so glad I had faith in one of his crazy schemes. I ran through half the school before I found him at the training grounds. "Snotlout!" I panted. "Earplugs! We need them so our dragons aren't caught by the Death Song!"

Snotlout gave me a cocky grin. "Ah ha! I knew everyone would come crawling back to acknowledge my brilliance. I can't just give you these earplugs. Do you think amber just grows on trees?"

I narrowed my eyes. "And who retrieved the amber for you?"

"I found more at Sven's farm all by myself," Snotlout said dismissively. And think about how much work the great artiste Snotlout put into these earplugs! Every one of these is a pièce de résistance. I think it means you can't resist it. I am going to need a lot in return. If you help me set up for my next pieces, I'll give you the ear plugs. I need six logs of wood. Chop chop!"

I wanted to throttle him and tell him this was no time to play around, by I figured it would be quicker to just give into his demands. I may have been mistaken. After bringing the logs to him, he asked for four pieces of dragon nip for Hookfang. He appeared pleased by this, and I thought I was in the clear.

"I'm preparing a set of ear plugs for you, Brennda," he said. "They're hand-made, limited edition, and signed by the artiste Snotlout! But... before I can hand it over, I want Hiccup's foot. Not the one he has on right now, but Gobber should have the old prosthetic. I want it on my mantle!"

I gaped at him. Was he serious? That was it! I glared at him and grabbed his shirt, pulling him close to me. "You better give me those earplugs, Snotlout, or I'll thump the artiste right out of you!" Bolt growled behind me, lightning dancing between his wings.

Snotlout's eye widened in surprise. "Okay, okay, I was kidding! I'll give them to you."

I scowled and released him. "You better."

"By the way, I like this side of you. Going Berserk, huh? No need to hide it from us."

Now it was my turned to be surprised. "Huh?"

"I know you're trying to get all nice around us, but I like your feisty side." He smirked.

I rolled my eyes. "Hand over those earplugs or you'll regret saying that." Thankfully, he did just that. I returned to the lab to show Heather my prize.

"Great work, Brennda!" she praised me. "Now our dragons will be safe." She paused. "Oh, about the... other matter. Please keep the identity of the rogue dragon rider a secret. I don't want the secret to leak to Dagur. The secret is more secure if fewer people know the truth. I won't stop you from talking to Stoick, but please think about what I said!"

I nodded. "I understand. Your secret is safe with me."

She smiled at me in relief. "Thanks, Brennda."

I was nervous about going against Stoick, but my loyalty to Heather was stronger than my fear. In order to get it out of the way, I found him at Berk and explained the situation.

He stared at me with a deep frown. "You found out who the rogue dragon rider is but you promised to keep it a secret? Well... I'll trust your judgement for now, Brennda, but tell the rogue dragon rider to come talk to me."

I breathed a sigh of relief. "I will. Thank you, chief." I departed feeling oddly satisfied.

***

The Death Song struck again the following morning. I raced to the training grounds with Bolt at the headmaster's orders. But I was too late. The Death Song took off over the ocean with a Monstrous Nightmare in her claws. Wait, wasn't that-?

"No! Hookfang! No!" Snotlout cried.

Bolt flew to him and landed next to him. I gasped when I saw the Viking covered in Death Song amber. "I can get you out of there!" I fumbled for my solution.

"For Thor's sake, forget about me," Snotlout said. "That ravenous beast took Hookfang! Please! If you don't go to Melody Island now, my precious Fangster will be eaten whole. I need you and I need your help."

My eyes widened in surprise. I never expected to hear those words from him. But looking into his eyes, I could see that he loved his dragon as much as I loved mine. I nodded. "Right. I'm on it. I'll come back for you."

"I'll be fine... even if my toe is starting to cramp."

Bolt took off once more. It did not take long for Windshear and Heather - in her rogue dragon rider disguise - to catch up with me. We flew with silent determination.

Thornado awaited us when we arrived on Death Song Island. I left Bolt and made my way over to him. "Thanks for coming, buddy," I said.

"Let's go to the Death Song's nest," Heather said. "You've been here with the archaeologist, right? You should take point while I cover our back."

I mounted Thornado, and we started forward. Windshear and Bolt trailed behind us. We soon arrived at the scene. Hookfang was glued to the ground with amber while the Death Song circled him above.

"Windshear's immune to the hypnotic song!" Heather said in delight. "Remind me to thank Snotlout for his useful invention."

I smirked. "He won't let you live that one down."

Heather chuckled before getting serious. "We need to act quickly to safe Hookfang. I'll fly up and distract him. You go in and free Hookfang! Let's go!"

Windshear flew straight up, grabbing the Death Song's attention. Bottle in hand, I leapt off Thornado and ran to Hookfang. I carefully released just enough solution to dissolve the amber trapping the Monstrous Nightmare. I shushed him before he could roar in thanks.

"You did it!" Heather exclaimed. "Oof, I need your help right away. We want to keep its attention on us and not on Hookfang. Fly up and tell Thornado to hit the Death Song!" 

I returned to the Thunderdrum and flew up near the other dragons. Thornado then blasted the Death Song, stunning her. We flew in closer and shot again. After the third shot, the Death Song turned to us and let out a shrill cry.

"Okay, I'm pretty sure we have its attention now," Heather said. "Let's get it over to the ship graveyard. I'll keep its attention but make sure it doesn't turn back! Thornado will be able to keep it in line, so make sure to keep hitting it with sonic blasts!"

Earlier we decided to lure the Death Song to the ship in hopes that she would choose the giant eels as a new food source. And when we arrived, that was exactly what she did. I sighed in relief as I watched the dangerous dragon attacking the dangerous eels.

"I think our plan worked, Brennda," Heather said excitedly. "The Death Song took to the eel right away and struck it with its amber blast. With all these eels in this place, it won't be bothering Berk for food."

I smiled and nodded. "We make a pretty good team."

It was difficult to tell with her mask, but I thought she smiled back at me. "We do. Let's go back to the Training Grounds and tell everyone the great news. I guess we can free Snotlout, too..."

And so, the victorious Vikings and dragons returned to the School of Dragons. Hookfang immediately found Snotlout and started nuzzling him.

"Hookfang!" Snotlout cried. "I'm so happy you're still alive! I knew that you'd be just fine, you big dumb dragon. How could you let yourself get captured like that and worry me sick?" He looked over at me. "Brennda, help me out of here. I've fallen and I can't get up. Please get me out of this amber."

I smirked and strolled over to him. "Sure, since you _need_ me and all." I easily dissolved the amber with my solution, finally freeing him.

Snotlout shook his arms and then grinned at me. "Thank you, thank you... I take back almost everything I said about you. The Snotlout is back!"

I chuckled. "You're welcome." His words suddenly hit me. "Hey, what have you been saying about me?" But he had already turned to fawning over his dragon, so I decided to let it go. I did not want anything to ruin our victory.

Of course, we had one last task: destroy the Death Song's nest. Hiccup and I headed to Sven's farm to do just that. We flew up on our dragons to finally get a closer look at the inside of the nest. A surprise awaited us inside. A tiny Death Song sat at the far end of the nest, looking up at us curiously.

"Is that a baby Death Song?" Hiccup said. "Well, I bet the baby Death Song isn't nearly as dangerous as the full grown type, but let's be cautious. Walk up slowly to the dragon and show it you don't mean harm."

I slowly slid off if Bolt's back and stepped onto the nest. "Hi there," I said, smiling at the baby dragon. I reached my hand out to him, and he bounded over to me, nuzzling my hand.

Hiccup smiled. "Aww, he took right to you! Maybe he was lonely up here. When we drove the Death Song away from Berk, we must have driven it away from its baby! Oh no. We need to fix that. Let's take the baby Death Song to its home in Melody Island."

I nodded. "Right." I carefully picked up the baby and then climbed onto Bolt's back.

So, it was off to Melody Island once again. This time, the adult Death Song did not seem interested in attacking us. I placed the baby in front of her, but she ignored him and took off. I frowned. "That's odd."

"Maybe she left the baby on purpose," Hiccup suggested. "Not all animal species nurture their young. Why don't you look after him?"

I raised my eyebrows. "Are you sure that's a good idea? What if he grows up and starts eating us?"

"I'm sure you can train him right."

I was still uncertain, but I did not want to leave the baby alone. I knelt down and rubbed his head. "I'll call you 'Freezeframe.' Do you want to come home with me?" The dragon yipped, and I smiled.

I found a place for Freezeframe in the stables. Hiccup promised me he would help take care of him and make sure he did not get into any trouble. Then he thanked me for all my hard work. I could not wait to relax after such an eventful week, but first I had to check in with everyone else.

I caught Skulder at the docks before he returned to Icestorm Island. "Hey, thanks for you assistance these past few days," I told him.

He smiled. "Another adventure in Berk! You make life interesting, Brennda. Thank you for saving my life on Death Song Island. I won't be going back to that cursed place by myself anytime soon. Without your help, I would have been dragon food!"

I chuckled. "Anytime."

"As I travel the world and study people from long ago, I can get myself into spots of trouble. I'll call on you if I ever get into a jam, my friend."

"And I'll be there. I'll see you later, Skulder."

"Goodbye, my friend."

I ran into Stoick on the way back to the village. He praised me for my efforts and called me a hero again. Then I found Astrid, and we happily chatted about our victory. Finally, I made my way to Heather, who still wore her rogue rider getup.

"Good work today!" I said.

She nodded. "You too. We did something incredible together. Thank you for trusting in me, even when I was hiding my identity. You knew my secret and you respected my decisions, whether you agreed with me or not. We've been through the forge of battle together now, and I know I have a true friend in you."

A warm smile spread across my face. "Thank you, Heather. I'm glad we had this chance to get to know each other better. It'll be a lot better now having a roommate who's my friend."

Heather laughed. "Agreed. I'm sorry I didn't reach out to you sooner. Maybe I was holding back, but that's all in the past now." She hesitated. "I need my identity secret for a little bit longer. I hope you understand."

"Sure, but if you ever run into any trouble, you know you can count on me."

She smiled at me through her mask. "Thanks, Brennda. We make a pretty good team."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Wow, that was a lot! And that wraps up Call of the Death Song.


	7. Chapter 7

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm going to put in just a little bit of Race to the Edge season 2 here. I've just got to include Dagur here. Enjoy.

_"Many nights we prayed_  
With no proof anyone could hear  
In our hearts a hope for a song   
_We barely understood_

_Now we are not afraid_  
_Although we know there's much to fear_  
_We were moving mountains_  
_Long before we knew we could_"

\- "When You Believe" by Mariah Carey

Chapter 7

Heather never took me up on that offer. Although we hung out when we had time, she spent more and more days away from the school. I did not have to cover much for her because the dragon riders also spent their time somewhere else. They had found an outpost they named Dragon's Edge, and from there they explored islands using the Dragon Eye. I suspected something was up with Heather, and after some persistence, she finally caved.

"I have been working undercover with the Dagur and the dragon hunters," she explained as we sat next to each other in our dorm room sipping herbal tea she brewed in her lab.

My eyes widened in surprise. "What? Isn't that a little too dangerous? And why would they trust you anyway?"

Heather took a deep breath. "Because... Dagur is my brother."

I stared at her. I knew the parents she had lost were adoptive, but she never told me she learned anything about her birth family.

"One day after a failed attempt to take out Dagur, he pulled off my mask and recognized me. He offered to let me stay and fight on his side in exchange for my life. I accepted because I thought I do more good if I acted like I was with him."

My mind spun with the news. I certainly had theories as to why she was constantly gone, but this I never expected. "And what if Dagur finds out the truth? He'll kill you. Or do you think you can kill him first?"

She shook her head. "It's not about that anymore. I've discovered someone far worse than Dagur. He's the leader of the dragon hunters, and if I can take him down, it will shatter the whole organization."

I sipped my tea as I digested this information. "Do the other dragon riders know?"

"No. I don't want to put them in danger."

"But you're putting yourself in danger by not telling them! Besides, if you want to be a proper spy, you have to leak information to someone."

Heather hesitated, her eyes swimming with uncertainty. "I'll think about it, alright? And I'll be careful. I promise nothing will happen to me."

I was not sure that was a promise she could make, but I nodded just the same. "Good." My mind flicked back to the fact that Dagur was her brother, and something hit me. "Wait a second... If Dagur's your brother, that means you're a Berserker... like me."

Heather appeared surprised, and then she smiled at me. "You're right. I did not think of that. My first instinct was to shun any association to Dagur, but... if we're from the same tribe, being a Berserker must not be so bad."

I smiled. "Not at all. And I'm glad you know where you come from. I hope you get all the answers you need."

"Thanks. Me too."

***

Heather was not the only new friend I made after the Death Song incident. When he was actually at Berk or the school, Snotlout hung around me a lot. And instead of his usual annoyingly arrogant self, he was actually pretty nice to me. I supposed I proved he could trust me after saving Hookfang.

One evening, he came to me to explain one of his 'brilliant' ideas. "You know, Astrid is always looking for ways to make Berk safer," he said. "I think if we set up a lookout spot out in the ocean, we could keep an eye out for Berserker ships. Great idea, right?"

"That actually is a great idea," I said.

He cast me a suspicious look. "What do you mean 'actually?'" He shook his head. "Anyway, Hookfang and I flew out into the ocean and found the perfect place. Any ships heading to Berk or the School of Dragons needs to pass by these sea stacks, so we'll spot them long before they are a threat to us. Also, it's a really beautiful place. I think you'll understand how great it is when you see it. Besides, I need your help to set up Hiccup's telescope to see the ships."

"Alright, let's go." I was eager to see if he really had found the perfect spot. We mounted our dragons and took off.

The darkness made flying difficult, but we managed alright. Soon, I saw a small island in the distance, raised high above the water. We landed but remained on our dragons.

"Welcome to Snotlout's Sentry Station!" he said proudly. "Let me show you around. Do you see the cresting water on the surface of the ocean? Fly down there and meet the animals!"

Bolt flew me down to the spot he indicated. I recognized the animals in the water at once: narwhals. "Hey there," I said.

The narwhals looked at us and made happy noises.

"Narwhals!" Snotlout exclaimed as Hookfang stopped beside Bolt. "They're so happy to see us! Pretty cool, huh?"

I smirked. "You sure they're not sea monsters?"

He scoffed. "Of course not. Oh, what about the perfect view? We have a great look of the ocean and an amazing view of that island on the horizon. You should take a closer look!"

We flew up to the highest spot on the island and dismounted. I gasped when I saw a spectacular view of the ocean and surrounding islands. I bet it would be even more wonderful at sunrise and sunset. "It's beautiful, Snotlout."

He smiled. "See? This is the perfect place! I do know what I'm doing. I know, it's incredible."

I chuckled lightly. "You know, you're really cute when you get so excited." I found his admiration for the beauty of this place quite adorable, though I knew he would deny it if I told the others. It was a sign that he trusted me to see this side of him.

Apparently, my words startled him, for he stumbled back, bumping into the telescope next to him and sending it plummeting into the ocean. He looked down in horror. "Oh, shoot! I just knocked the telescope into the water! It sank so quickly. Now there's no telescope. You've got to help me, Brennda! Please!"

Looking into his anxious eyes, I had to agree. "Fine. What do you want me to do?"

"Could you tell Hiccup we need a new telescope? I would do it myself, but I'm busy ... um ... looking out for Berserker ships! Gotta keep the school safe, and all. Tell Astrid I'm on the job!"

I rolled my eyes. "I'm on it."

I returned to the school and found Hiccup. My story did not surprise me. Thankfully, he had an upgraded telescope that he gave me. I brought it back to the sentry station, much to Snotlout's delight. Hiccup stopped by to check on us and approved of Snotlout's work.

A couple of weeks later, Snotlout sought out my help again. He wanted me to find a statue of Thor he made a few years ago to help decorate his sentry station. He thought it was somewhere in the ocean. I did not have much hope of finding it, so I was surprised to see it sitting on a sea stack. I alerted Snotlout, and we moved it to the sentry station.

Fishlegs awaited us, and he did not look pleased. "Snotlout, what are you doing?" he cried. "Have you forgotten what happened the last time we had this statue in Berk? It was... not good. In fact, I would categorize the event as 'catastrophic'."

Snotlout frowned. "I thought we agreed that it was all Toothless's fault and not mine! I know that Thor was mad at us before, but he can't still be mad at the thing. Besides, I put a lot of hard work into this beautiful statue. It would be a shame to have it go to waste. Brennda knows what I'm talking about. Come closer to the statue, Brennda! There's nothing to fear!"

I looked uneasily from Fishlegs to Snotlout to the statue. Bolt whined. "I don't know, Snotlout. Bolt seems concerned, and he's the lightning expert."

Just then, a bolt of lightning struck from the sky. I pulled Snotlout out of the way just as it struck the statue. From there, it zapped a nearby grazing sheep. Thankfully, the telescope was left unharmed.

"Whoa!" Fishlegs exclaimed. "That was close. That poor sheep got the shock of his life. Not only that, you almost broke the telescope again, Snotlout!"

Snotlout looked at me with wide eyes. "Umm... Okay, maybe Thor holds grudges. I don't know if I can fix this on my own... Help!"

"Calm down," I said, placing a hand on his shoulder. "Of course I'll help."

"Can you figure out a solution with Heather's help? You two seem to somehow figure out the right answer in the lab. Maybe you can do something here! Come on, you don't want the telescope to get damaged, do you?"

I did not point out the obvious solution of getting rid of the statue. I doubted he would find that acceptable. Besides, as a Skrill rider, learning more about lightning was never a bad idea. So, I set off for the lab.

Fortunately, Heather was back at the school and eager to help. We tested out several different materials to find the one that insulated electricity the best. The winning material turned out to be a strange, foreign substance called rubber that Johann had available. The trader wanted Monstrous Nightmare gel in exchange for it, which was no problem to get from Hookfang considering I was doing this for Snotlout.

Back at the sentry station, I set the rubber along the base of the Thor statue so that it would not pass electricity to nearby objects. "That should do it," I said, smiling proudly at my work.

"Whew, just in the nick of time!" Snotlout said as another lightning bolt hit the statue. "This weird little thing protected Snotlout's Sentry Station from the wrath of Thor. Thanks, Brennda!"

I smiled. "Anytime." Eyeing the rubber, I got an idea. "Say, could I have some more Monstrous Nightmare gel? I want to get some more rubber from Johann. I think it might help me when working with Bolt."

"Sure thing!" He crossed his arms and smirked. "For a price."

***

Eventually, I gathered enough rubber to make a suit. Before I had time to put it together, Hiccup invited me to check out Dragon's Edge. It turned out to not be a friendly visit. Astrid arrived with news that the dragon hunters were searching for the Snow Wraith to take a tooth so they could unlock the Dragon Eye once they stole it from us. So, off we flew to Glacier Island.

The adventure proved troublesome when Heather as the 'rogue dragon rider' got in the way. Her plan to secretly help us failed, and we got trapped in a cave. Once we freed ourselves, Hiccup attempted to take out Heather, but I stopped him by revealing her true identity. Thankfully, we were all able to get through fine after that.

But now everyone knew the truth. Heather met up with us back on the Edge and explained her plan to learn about the dragon hunter's leader, Viggo Grimborn. She apologized for deceiving us and thanked me for saving her. She agreed to stay on the Edge and help out the dragon riders when she was not with Dagur.

Now I saw even less of her than before, but I was glad she had the other riders as support. For awhile, everything worked out well. Heather fed information to the riders, allowing them to stop the dragon hunters at every turn. I should have known it would not last.

On a hot evening in the middle of the summer, I received a Terror Mail from Astrid. Heather had been exposed as a traitor and captured by Viggo. I immediately raced to the Edge. Hiccup was out scouting for information, but the others explained what happened. Heather had taken her deception too far, and Viggo turned the tables on her. Just then, Hiccup arrived, carrying some sort of board game.

Fishlegs gasped. "Hiccup, Maces and Talons! Does this mean-"

"No, Fishlegs," Hiccup said.

"But Maces and Talons was designed to test the abilities and decision making expertise of future chiefs in the heat of battle."

"I'm not taking over as Chief of Berk. Viggo left this for me. He wants me to play Maces and Talons with him."

Tuffnut frowned. "Viggo's here?"

"We got next!" Ruffnut said.

"Guys, no, no," said Hiccup. "He's not here, and we're not using the board. We're playing for real. With real people. Viggo is forcing my hand. He's making me play him for Heather's life."

"And what happens if you don't play?" Fishlegs said. Hiccup picked up a game piece broken in half. Fishleg' eyes widened in horror. "Oh, no, no, no. Well, you you have to play, Hiccup. You just have to."

"And we need a strategy," said Snotlout.

Hiccup nodded. "We do, Snotlout. And that strategy has to be different than any he's ever seen or tried. Otherwise, Heather won't stand a chance."

"Whatever the plan, you have to include me," I said.

Hiccup looked at me as if seeing me for the first time. "When did you get here?"

"I called her for backup," Astrid said. "We could use her help."

Hiccup shook her head. "But there will be Berserkers there. If Dagur sees you-"

"I'm not afraid of Dagur," I said.

"Funny, because every time he's mentioned, you run and hide," Snotlout said.

I frowned. He had a point. "I'm done running and hiding. I have to do what I can to save Heather. And you have to admit my Skrill would come in great use."

Snotlout nodded. "She has a point."

"Fine, you can come," said Hiccup. "Let's devise a plan."

Not long after that, we set out for Viggo's base. We immediately ran into Tymphoomerangs spewing fire at us. Hiccup had a brilliant idea to avoid the fire by flying right into the middle of it. Somehow, we all emerged unharmed. Hiccup told the others to free the Typhoomerangs while he and I searched for Heather.

We came across a deserted part of the island filled with large cages. "She must be in one of those," Hiccup said. "Let's go."

Something did not feel right. Hiccup said this Viggo was wicked smart and a master of manipulation. There was no way it was this easy. "You go ahead. I'll search somewhere else just in case."

Hiccup looked back at me with a frown. "Are you sure? It would be better if we stick together."

"I'll be fine. Just go!"

We flew off in opposite directions. Upon seeing soldiers up ahead, I instructed Bolt to fly low among the trees. My heart hammered when I recognized most of the men as Berserkers. Bolt landed a safe distance from them.

"Stay here," I instructed.

Bolt whined and pushed his snout into my hand.

I soothingly rubbed the side of his head. "I'll be fine, but they'll capture you if the see you."

Bolt still did not seem satisfied, but he did not followed me as I crept through the trees. Upon getting closer, I saw several dragon hunters with the Berserkers. And there was Dagur. Beside him stood Heather, chained in handcuffs. I knew it! It was time to brush up on my acting skills.

I took a deep breath and waltzed out of the trees. "Hey, guys. Did you miss me?"

The men immediately pointed their weapons at me. "Who are you?" one of them said suspiciously.

I stared at him calmly. "Don't you remember me? I'm Brennda. I'm a Berserker like you."

"I thought you ran away," another man scoffed.

"I've been training to be a dragon hunter. I was told to meet up with you guys here."

"We heard nothing about that," said a third warrior. "Did you, Dagur?"

And now the real test began. I turned to Dagur, who had been watching me intently, and put on a bright smile. "Chief Dagur! It's an honor to meet you. I was hoping you could teach me how to become an exceptional Berserker and dragon hunter." I risked a glance at Heather and saw her watching at me with wide eyes.

"Dagur doesn't have time for teaching," said one of the dragon hunters next to him. "We're about to start an execution."

"Dagur always has time to teach a young, hopeful Berserker," Dagur said amiably. "And what better way to teach than by example? Let us proceed, men." He flashed me a grin, and I gave him a weak smile in return.

Two dragon hunters flanked Dagur as he pushed Heather forward into a cave. My mind worked overtime trying to come up with a plan. How was I supposed to take out three men and save Heather? I was not sure I could use my charm to get me out of this. But I had to do _something._ Heather was counting on me.

The dragon hunters stopped when we reached a fork in the tunnels. "Wait, this doesn't seem right," said one of the hunters.

"Aye, Viggo specifically said-" started the second.

Dagur rounded on them. "News flash! I no longer care what Viggo has to say." He smashed their heads together, knocking them both out.

My hearth hammered. This was my chance. I reached for my sword, but then I saw Heather's expression. I saw no fear or anger in her eyes, only... sadness. I dropped my arm to my side. This was her brother, the only family she had left. Could I really kill him?

"Now, as for you," Dagur said, causing me to flinch. "I heard a rumor that a Berserker turned traitor and joined Berk's School of Dragons."

I froze. "R-Really?"

"She trained a Skrill - quite an impressive feat, if I do say so myself - and the description of the rider matches you."

His intense gaze wore me down. Something inside of me snapped. The rage I had built up over the years finally rose to the surface and overflowed. "You know what, Dagur? You're right. I am a dragon rider, and I did train a Skrill. But I'm no traitor. I only left Berserker Island because _you_ made it uninhabitable. My parents died, and your men thwarted any attempt I had to make an honest living on my own. Get it? This is _your_ fault. I ran away because _you_ did not do your job as chief. _You_ abandoned _us_." I crossed my arms and glared at him defiantly. If he killed me, so be it. At least I had that off my chest.

Dagur's expression was surprisingly calm. "You know what? You're right. I have failed as chief. But I'm going to start righting that today." He turned to Heather and lifted his axe.

Heather gasped. "Dagur, please. Don't-"

Dagur brought his axe down and broke the chains that linked her cuffs. Then he whistled, and Windshear bounded around the corner.

Heather ran to embrace her dragon. "Windshear! You're okay."

I stood there, stunned at this turn of events. Dagur clasped my shoulders and stared into my eyes. "Make sure she gets home safely."

I could only nod in response.

Dagur started to jog out of the tunnel. He stopped and looked back at us. "I'll make it up to you. Both of you." Then he was gone.

Heather and I exchanged glances. I wished we could talk about what happened, but we were still in danger. We got on Windshear and flew out of there. Once we were past the soldiers, I called for Bolt and leapt onto his back.

We met up with the other dragon riders, who were fighting off the hunters. Hiccup wanted to continue to fight because Viggo had outsmarted him and stolen the Dragon Eye, but Astrid convinced him he had to be long gone. We retreated to Dragon's Edge, where Hiccup continued to obsess over his failure in the clubhouse.

"At least we got Heather back," Fishlegs said.

Hiccup said, finally letting his weariness overtake him. "You're right; I'm glad about that." He fixed his eyes on me. "How did you know where to find her?"

I shrugged. "I figured Viggo was one for poetic justice and would want Heather to die at the hands of her betrayed brother, so I found the Berserkers."

"And you saved her."

A smile played on my lips. "Not quite. Actually, if it had been left to me, I would have gotten us both killed."

"Then how-?"

"It was Dagur," Heather said. "He turned on Viggo and saved me."

"_Dagur_ saved you?" Astrid said. "I find that hard to believe."

"It's true. I guess he learned to care about me as his sister after all the time we spent together."

"And you learned to care about him," I said. She looked at me in surprise. "I had a chance to strike Dagur, but I didn't because it looked like that would cause you pain."

Heather seemed to think about this for a minute. "You're right. Even if you're deceiving someone, when you spend that much time together, it's hard not to see the good in someone and care about them."

"And Dagur may have picked up on that and came to care about you in return." I smiled. "Good job, fellow Berserker. I'm proud of you."

She smiled slightly. "Thank you."

"Maybe now this long war will finally be over, and everyone will fully trust me."

"I wouldn't assume anything just yet," Hiccup warned, "but you certainly have a reason to be cautiously optimistic."

Heather and I exchanged another smile. Things were finally looking up.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> That was fun. Battle for the Edge is up next! Things are about to start to heat up.


	8. Chapter 8

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> We're finally getting into the expansion Battle for the Edge. This one is super important, so pay close attention. I will be slowing things down considerably and putting in a lot of original content not found in the expansion. For those of you who have not played through it, I advise you get the expansion, which is available with coins. It'll help you make sense of things, and it's really fun. Either way way, I'll try my best to help you follow along. And FYI, Brennda and the dragon riders are 18-19 at this point. It has been 2 years 10 months since the start of the story.

"Most people want to be circled by safety, not by the unexpected. The unexpected can take you out. But the unexpected can also take you over and change you life. Put a heart in your body where a stone used to be." - Ron Hall

Chapter 8

Hope did not last. Heather spent most of her time on Dragon's Edge helping the dragon riders, but one day she came to me with terrible news. Dagur was dead. Or so she claimed. After hearing her story, I was not convinced of her conclusion.

Things had started to look up when Dagur was able to successfully train a Gronckle, which he named Shattermaster, under the supervision of Hiccup. But then he disagreed with a mission against the dragon hunters. He charged ahead of them and set off the hunters' traps, saving them all. The riders did not think he could have survived.

I refused to believe it. No body was recovered, and it was just as likely that Dagur was captured or tending his wounds alone. There was no way the tough Berserker chief has gone down so easily. Maybe it was wishful thinking. After all this time, Dagur finally proved that he had changed, but he was gone before he could fix the damage he had done to his island.

And what about Heather? She finally found her brother only to have him taken away from her. She spent more and more time at the school, getting lost in her work as an alchemist. No, Dagur had to be alive. The alternative was intolerable.

I hated waiting for news. For months, I occupied myself with training dragons. The Death Song I rescued grew quickly. Luckily, he listened to me, and he learned who and what he could shoot with his amber. Vikings were still leery when he roamed around them, but so far there had been no casualties.

And then, as we entered into the last third of winter, everything changed once again. Unlike before, I did not choose it. I had no idea what was coming. I wonder what would have happened if I had decided to not visit Dragon's Edge that day. But it doesn't matter because I did, and nothing can erase what came after.

Astrid invited me to visit and spend a few days on the Edge. But when I arrived, I found the base in shambles, immediately setting me on alert. Where were the dragon riders? Bolt seemed to have a better idea than me, so I let him lead us to the nearest island: Hobblegrunt Island.

Adrenaline pumped as the scene came into view. Dragon hunters were attacking the island from their ships while the dragon riders fought back from the air. "Hiccup!" I shouted as I neared him and Toothless.

"Good timing, Brennda!" Hiccup said. "We could really use your help. We have two main priorities: protect the baby Hobblegrunts and defeat the dragon hunters! It'll be too hard to try to stop them from nabbing dragons if they get to land, so we need to stop them here and now."

"I got it!" I swooped in close to the nearest ship, and Bolt blasted it with electricity. A second shot had the wood cracking. And a third took it down.

"Great shot, Brennda!" Astrid called. "That was one in a million."

I grinned at her. "Thanks!"

It did not take long for us to take down the remaining ships, sending the dragon hunters packing. Now we had to worry about the baby Hobblegrunts, who were all in a frenzy. I made it to land and did my best to calm them. Then I led them back to their nest, safe and sound.

"Great work!" Hiccup said once I returned to the others. "I'm glad you were able to find us. I'm sorry this wasn't the welcome you were expecting."

I smiled and shook my head. "It was no problem. I'm glad I could help."

"Hiccup, there's a strange boat coming towards Dragon's Edge," Astrid said from the air. "We need to get back and check it out right away!"

My blood chilled. Another dragon hunter? In a matter of seconds, we all took to the air. I saw the boat as well. It did not _look _like a dragon hunter ship, and from what I could tell, there was only a single occupant. Still, we had to be careful.

"I don't see-" Astrid started to say as we approached land. "Wait, there he is. He docked his ship and walked right in. Who does that?"

"Do you want Hookfang and me to rough him up a bit?" Snotlout said.

Hiccup frowned. "No, we do not know if he is a friend or foe."

"I can find out for you," I said. "A little Berserker intimidation should do the trick."

Hiccup hesitated and then nodded at me. "Go for it, Brennda."

I zoomed ahead with Bolt. The stranger had made his way to the center of camp, and I dropped down right in front of him. "Halt!" I boomed. Bolt stood on his hind legs and allowed electricity to pass along his body. I carefully stood on his saddle and did a flip in the air, landing beside the dragon.

The man did not appear intimidated in the least. In fact, he stood with an air of confidence. "A Skrill," he mused. "Are you, by chance, one of the great Berserkers I have heard so much about?"

I gaped at him. _What?_ I was supposed to intimidate him, but instead_ I_ was the one caught off guard. "Y-Yes. So, you better tell me who you are and what you're doing here!" I pointed an accusing finger at him, but his total indifference made it feel like a flimsy gesture.

By then, my friends arrived and surrounded the stranger. Still, he seemed totally at ease. There was definitely something wrong with him. I _always_ got the reaction I intended. Bolt let out a low growl.

"Yes, you're very intimidating," the man said, though it was amusement that shone on his face. "Good thing I am not your enemy. I am Harald Forkbeard: trader, navigator, and master of adventure at your service. I hope you don't mind that I made myself at home. This island was one of my old haunts and I stopped by when I found myself in a bit of trouble."

I frowned. "Actually-"

"You see, I had a slight disagreement with these dragon hunters. I offered them my wares at very reasonable prices, but they tried to steal everything instead. How insulting! I only trade with upstanding Vikings, so I sailed away. I need a place to lay low while I upgrade my ship. If I run into these brigands again, I need to be able to outrun them on the open sea. I hop you don't mind my staying here with you. Your dragons are amazing! I'm sure they can protect me."

So, he wasn't afraid of dragons? That was... unusual. Though, it still didn't explain why Bolt and me didn't have an effect on him. I took a minute to examine him. He appeared to be a five or six years older than myself with a blond undercut hairstyle, a pointed beard, and striking green eyes. His clothes were pretty typical of Vikings in the winter, except on his left shoulder was a triple-layered shoulder-to-arm plate. I wondered at his reason for having it.

He smirked when he noticed me staring. I narrowed my eyes but refused to look away. I do not think I imagined the challenge in his eyes.

Hiccup stepped forward. "It's nice to meet you, Harald. I'm Hiccup. You're welcome to stay here until the danger with the dragon hunters blows over. And like I always say, anyone who can appreciate dragons is a friend of mine."

I shot him an inquisitive look. Seriously? He was going to accept him just like that? Sharing a glance with Astrid, I knew she had similar doubts.

"You're alright, Hiccup," Harald said. "You won't regret talking me in... I promise. I'm a right resourceful kind of guy. You'll reap all sorts of benefits with me around."

I returned to examining him suspiciously. "I'm sure."

He ignored me. "Your dragon training abilities are impressive. I barely managed to get this tiny Terrible Terror to listen to me, while you have giant dragons under your command!" Suddenly, a little purple dragon flew up from the ground and landed on Harald's shoulder plate. So, that was what it was for. "This is my pet Leopold. He won't bite... unless I tell him to."

"Ah, well, dragons are actually very intelligent, Harald," Hiccup said. "We like to think of them as friends and not pets." 

"Looks like I've got a lot to learn about dragons, Hiccup. I look forward to stealing all your knowledge, ha ha!"

Hiccup turned to me and smiled. "You should pet Leopold, Brennda. He seems like a friendly little fella!"

"So, you're Brennda," Harald said, turning to me with a gleam in his eyes. "What a lovely name."

My eyes tightened. His words were nice enough, but there was a haughtiness to his tone that I could not ignore. "Thanks," I said flatly. My gaze flickered to Leopold and curiosity took over. "Hello there." I reached out to pet him. He let out a purr-like noise, and then, to my surprise, he jumped into my arms. I laughed as I hugged the adorable dragon.

"So, that's what it takes to get you to smile," Harald said, a triumphant smirk on his face.

My smile fell. "Sorry, it won't happen again." I gently set Leopold on the ground.

"And you have a sense of humor."

"Brennda is just playing around," Hiccup said. "Let me introduce you to everyone else." He went around and gave the names of riders and dragons alike. Finally, his gaze settled back on Harald. "If you would like, I can assign someone to you to show you around and make sure you are taken care of during your stay here."

"That would be wonderful," said Harald. "Thank you, Hiccup. May I choose Brennda?"

I froze. Me? Why me? He had that cocky look in his eyes again. I swear, he knew he got to me, and he wanted to take advantage of it. There was only one way out of this without losing face. "I would love to, Harald, but you see, I do not live on Dragon's Edge. I am a student at the School of Dragons. I am just visiting my friends."

"That's not a problem," Hiccup said. "I was actually hoping you could stay and help us repair the damage caused by the dragon hunters. You can stay with Astrid, right?"

Astrid blinked. "Right. Of course you can, Brennda."

Harald smiled at me, though he had the same look in his eyes. "That settles that. What say you, Brennda?"

He taunted me with that look of his. Oh, it was so on. I would make him regret choosing me. I plastered a fake smile on my face. "It would be my pleasure."

Harald's smile twisted into a smirk. "No, the pleasure's all mine." We continued to stare at each other like two dragons attempting to figure out an advantage and claim dominance.

"Am I the only one who's missing something here?" Snotlout spoke up, breaking the silent tension.

"Brennda, can you help me something?" Astrid said in a too sweet voice that told me she wanted to talk.

I turned to my friend, ignoring Harald's expression of victory. "Sure, what is it?"

"The dragon hunters left our base in quite a nasty shape when they came through. We need to fix it as soon as we can, then make sure we set up defenses so we won't be caught unawares again. I brought some buildings supplies from Berk when I last visited, and I'd like some help in getting it up to Dragon's Edge. Let's go down to the bay."

I nodded. "Alright." I cast Harald one last wary glance.

He grinned broadly at me. "Do not fret, Brennda. I will be right here when you get back."

I frowned. "Great." I turned to Bolt. "You stay here, alright?" I needn't have said anything, for the Skrill was preoccupied with playing with Leopold. I would have called him a traitor, but I remembered I had done exactly the same thing.

I followed Astrid down to the docks where several crates of supplies awaited us. We grabbed three each and started the long trek back up the hill.

"So," Astrid said as we walked, "this 'Harald' guy... what do you think about him?"

"I'm glad you asked," I huffed. "I think he has something wrong in the head. He didn't even flinch when Bolt and I made our grand entrance!"

"That was surprising," Astrid agreed, "but maybe he wasn't afraid because he knows we only hurt the bad guys."

I frowned. And I had thought she was on my side. "Still... What do _you_ think of him?"

"He seems like a swell guy, but... something is off about him."

"I know! He has it out for me!"

"That's not what I meant, Brennda. He's a stranger. What exactly do we know about him?"

I could have named a whole bunch of things I had learned about him after mere seconds of meeting him, but I decided against it. "Hiccup seems to think he knows enough." We reached the second set of stars that led up to Hiccup's hut.

"Hiccup tends to see the best in people. To be honest, I like that about him, but that's not who I am! If Harald tries anything, Stormfly will spine him to the wall!"

"I'm sure it will be fine. The odd vibe I get from Harald has nothing to do with anything like that. And I like that about Hiccup too. If it weren't for him... no one would have ever accepted me as a Berserker at the School of Dragons." I knew exactly what it was like to be an outsider, so why was I acting this way with Harald? I usually towed the line with Hiccup rather than Astrid. Maybe I was just upset that Harald seemed to see through my front so easily.

"I know, and I'm sorry I distrusted you. I am perfectly willing to give people a chance once they prove themselves like you did."

We finally arrived at Hiccup's hut and set down our crates. I wiped a bead of sweat from my forehead. "I know, and I appreciate that you eventually gave me a chance. So, what do you want to do about Harald?" Clearly, Hiccup would not take the proper precautions.

Astrid pursed her lips. "Maybe I'm just being paranoid since we just had so much trouble with the dragon hunters, but I don't trust him! He was so gracious as to choose you to watch over him, so stay very close to him these next few days, and let me know if you spot anything suspicious. Keep your guard up."

"Don't worry, I am on the job! I am an expert at keeping my guard up." Then how had he cut through my defenses like yak butter? I pushed the nagging thoughts away. It was only a fluke! "There's got to be something behind that confident attitude of his. I'll find a weak spot and break down his wall! I will crush him!"

Astrid nodded in approval. "Good. I love your new Berserker attitude, but don't get carried away."

I scoffed. "Since when do Berserkers get carried away?"

She smirked. "Have you met Dagur and Heather?"

I shrugged. "I'll be fine. My intense, Berserker single-mindedness will come in handy." I looked out at the camp where Harald chatted amiably with Hiccup while Bolt, Toothless, and Leopold chased each other in a circle. "I need a plan..." 

My mind swam with ideas. How was I supposed to intimidate this guy? My Skrill was usually my trump card. Hmm... "What if I took him on a ride around the island on Bolt? Showed him the true power of the Skrill?"

"Oh, I like that," Astrid said. "Just like how Toothless tried to scare me with fast, tricky maneuvers the first time I flew with him and Hiccup."

I looked at her in surprise. I had never heard that story before. "He did that?"

She nodded. "This was back when we were still at war with the dragons and Hiccup and Toothless were hiding their relationship. Honestly, I think Toothless was jealous of the sudden attention I gave Hiccup."

I smiled. "That's cute."

"Don't look now, but Harald's watching you."

Of course, I looked. Even from up here, I could see that cocky smirk of his. "I told you he's out to get me."

Astrid laughed. "Or he likes you. I have to give it to him for being up for a challenge."

"Well, I'm not going to give into him that easily." I strode past her and started my descent. "It's time I put him in his place."

"Good luck!"

I did not need luck; I was a Berserker. It felt good to finally be able to admit that to myself and everyone else. Now I could finally harness the power of my heritage and be all I was meant to be. No more sucking up to everyone I met so they would accept me. I was confident and strong, and I could take on this Harald Forkbeard, no problem.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Let the fun and games begin! Brennda's totally got this, right? ;)


	9. Chapter 9

"_All I know is we said hello  
So dust off your highest hopes  
All I know is pouring rain  
And everything has changed_

_All I know is a newfound grace  
All my days, I'll know your face  
All I know since yesterday  
Is everything has changed_" 

\- "Everything Has Changed" by Taylor Swift

Chapter 9

I held my head high as I walked straight to Harald and Hiccup. It was time to gain control of the situation. Harald kept his eyes on me with that look of his while Hiccup appeared completely oblivious to everything.

"Brennda, why don't you show Harald around the island?" Hiccup said pleasantly.

I smirked. "I was just thinking the same thing. And what better way to see the island than from the air? Bolt!" The Skrill immediately rushed to my side.

Hiccup's smile fell. "I don't think that's such a good idea, Brennda. He's never rode a dragon before, and a Skrill is not the easiest dragon to start with."

Harald attempted to retain his confident facade as he eyed Bolt, but some wariness crept in. "Not that I don't appreciate your offer..."

I put on my disappointed face. "Oh, I thought you were a 'master of adventure,' but I guess there are some things even too difficult for you."

Harald faltered for half a second. "I did not say it would be too difficult. It's just-"

"You don't trust me?" I feigned offense.

"It's not you I don't trust." His gaze flickered to Bolt.

I crossed my arms. "If you don't trust my dragon, you don't trust me."

"Brennda, be reasonable," Hiccup said.

"No, let her keep going," Astrid said as she stopped beside him. She appeared highly amused at the scene. "I want to see what happens."

"In case you've forgotten," I continued, "_you're_ the stranger here. Trust is required for us to let you stay here, and if you want us to trust you, then you need to trust us. And if I'm difficult to win over, Bolt here is even more so. I don't have time to play games. Let's figure this out now."

Understanding flashed in his eyes, and he smirked. "So, that's what you're getting at. Very well."

"Harald, you don't have to do this," Hiccup said uneasily. "Brennda is not in charge of trust tests."

"Oh, yes, she is," Astrid said, earning a sharp look from her companion.

I shrugged. "Well, if he's too afraid..."

"I am not afraid," Harald said sharply. "Tell me how I should acquaintance myself with your mighty beast."

I smiled. Everything was going according to plan. "Look him in the eyes and speak to him. Tell him why he should let you on his back."

Harald walked right up to Bolt and stared at him. The Skrill tensed but made no aggressive movements. "Hello... Bolt. You have nothing to fear from Harald. I mean you and your rider no harm." 

The two of them stared at each other for a minute, neither of them flinching. Finally, Bolt made a grunting sound and visibly relaxed.

"Good, now you can touch him," I said brightly.

Harald shot me an inquisitive look.

"Brennda," said Hiccup, "will you help him, please?"

I sighed. "Fine." I wanted to see him struggle a bit more, but I supposed it was better to move this along. I approached Harald just after he removed his glove. I took his right hand in mine, feeling startled at its warmth. I froze when I realized just how close we were standing together. I could feel the heat from his body next to me, and it was not altogether unpleasant.

"Is something the matter?" Harald said, looking down at me with a teasing smirk.

I flushed. "N-Not at all." It was a completely natural reaction under the circumstances and nothing to worry about. My brain was in control, not my body. I took a deep breath and focused on Bolt. I brought Harald's hand up to his eye level and then placed it on his snout. I let my hand linger on his for a moment before withdrawing it and stepping back so I could breath properly.

"That's a good dragon," Harald murmured. He moved his hand up Bolt's face and then down his neck.

My hostility towards Harald momentarily transformed into something else entirely: curiosity. There was something different about him now. His gaze was relaxed, and there was, for once, a genuine smile on his face. And my Skrill brought that out? That was not what I had wanted. And yet, I found it utterly fascinating. Clearly there was more to Harald than what met the eye, and I had an irresistible urge to dig deeper.

"Wow, I'm impressed, Harald," Hiccup said. "I shouldn't have worried. Bolt has really taken to you."

Harald pulled his hand back and looked at him with a smirk. "You should have had faith in me, Hiccup, and not have put all the pressure on poor Brennda."

I rolled my eyes. And now we were back to this. I started for Bolt. "He should let you ride him now."

"Be careful," Hiccup warned.

"But have fun," Astrid said with her own smirk.

I climbed into Bolt's saddle when he lowered himself to the ground for me. I glanced back at Harald, who seemed uncertain once again. "Climb on behind me." I scooted forward so there would be enough room for him to sit comfortably. I sucked in a sharp breath when I felt his chest press right up against my back. Then his arms wrapped around my waist. Obviously, I had not thought this through. Then again, I did not expect to have this type of reaction from him.

"Are you alright?" he said softly, his breath tickling my cheek and sending a shiver down my spine.

"Y-Yeah. I just-" I took a deep breath. "Would you believe me if I said this was the first time Bolt and I have had a passenger?"

"Oh? Does it trouble you?"

I wracked my brain for a reasonable explanation. I definitely could not tell him the truth. Thor knew he would forever hold it against me. "It's a bit odd. It goes against my natural instinct to let someone so close to me when I can't keep an eye on them." Surviving on Berkserer Island had taught me how to be properly paranoid. I always had to watch my back.

"That is quite understandable. But, Brennda, I will tell you the same thing I told your dragon. I mean you no harm."

I tilted my head and got caught in his gaze. He still had that smirk on his face, but his eyes... Something in his eyes told me he spoke the truth. I swallowed hard. "Alright then. And I can assure you, as long as that is true, Bolt and I will protect you from any threat."

"Thank you. I am honored." Something I did not recognize sparked in his eyes.

I cleared my throat. "Let's be off." I tore my gaze away and took a moment to still my racing heart. What was wrong with me today?

***

Bolt showed off all of his best qualities, including his speed. I was pleased to find that the ride made Harald nervous at first. However, he soon got into it and praised my dragon and me. We slowed down a bit so I could actually point out notable landmarks on the island.

We had almost returned to the base when Hookfang and Snotlout blocked our path. "Hey Brennda, Harald," Snotlout said. "Care for a dome race?"

I raised my eyebrows. "Now?"

He smirked. "Yes, now."

"What's a dome race?" Harald asked.

"A training exercise turned competition," I said. "Snotlout has never beaten me, and I suppose with the extra weight, he thinks this is his big chance."

Snotlout scoffed. "No, I know I can beat you. I just feel like today's the day."

I rolled my eyes. "Right." I looked back at Harald but found his expression unreadable. "We don't have to do it. Winning requires flying at top speed, and I won't slow down on your account."

Harald smirked. "We can't have Snotlout best us, can we?"

I bit back a smile. "Right." I nodded at Snotlout. "You're on."

Snotlout grinned. "Great! I'll give you two a minute to prepare." He flew off to the side where he would not hear us.

"Is there anything I should do to help?" Harald asked.

I thought about it for a moment. A passenger did change the dynamics a bit, but the fundamentals were the same. "We need to move as one. Stay as close to me as possible. Lean when I lean. Think you can do that?"

"Certainly, mate."

"Are you ready?" Snotlout called.

Bolt moved so he was level with Hookfang. "We're all set!" I said.

"Let's go!"

Bolt shot forward like an arrow. Once we got going, I hardly noticed Harald behind me or Snotlout beside me. I simply focused on what was right in front of me. The course consisted of flaying around the entire island and then cutting across the middle back to the base.

I urged Bolt to fly faster when the training dome came into view. We dipped down to enter the from underneath. I finally caught sight of Hookfang out of the corner of my eye; he was right on Bolt's tail. The dome started to close, and Bolt zipped through just in time. I saw the twins waving to me. We rushed down to the makeshift finish line drawn in the dirt.

"Congratulations to our winners!" Tuffnut exclaimed. From beside him, his pet chicken, aptly named 'Chicken,' clucked.

"Snotlout didn't even make it out," Ruffnut laughed. She pulled the lever to open the dome.

"Now _that_ was a ride!" Harald said.

I laughed. "That was great!" The adrenaline form the race combined with the thrill of success left me giddy.

Hookfang flew out of the dome and landed in front of us. "You guys got lucky," Snotlout said.

"Sorry, mate," said Harald. "The best rider won."

Snotlout pointed straight at me. "I'll get you next time."

I chuckled as he stalked off. "Well, that was fun."

"Agreed," said Harald. "But I think that was enough riding for one day. He attempted to dismount, but he lost his balance. He grabbed my arm on the way down, pulling me off of the dragon and causing me to fall right on top of him.

I groaned. "Good going."

"Sorry. I must not be used to the saddle."

I placed my hands on the ground to steady myself. Then I realized my position, and my breath caught in my throat. I straddled Harald, and our faces were inches apart. Amusement glinted in his eyes. For some reason, I could not look away. I blamed it on the adrenaline.

"Is something wrong?" Tuffnut called.

"Maybe we should leave them alone," Ruffnut said in a teasing tone.

I snapped out of it. "N-No. We're fine." I managed to get to my feet despite my shaking legs. I offered my hand to Harald to help him up, and he held onto it for far longer than necessary, a smirk playing on his lips. "I - I think we've had enough adventure for today."

"And I do look forward to our next one."

If there was a next one, I was not sure if I could survive it.

***

"Are you sure this is not another one of your tests?" Harald said as he followed me through the base.

"No," I said. "I simply thought it would be nice if you had a chance to spend time with everyone here individually to get to know them." I stopped walking and turned to face him. "Unless the _guest_ has an objection to that?"

"Not at all," Harald said with a hint of a smirk. "Please, proceed."

I pursed my lips. "Good." I resumed my trek to the training dome. I promised myself I would not let him get to me today. I would make sure he knew _I_ was in charge.

Astrid awaited us outside of the dome. "Hello, Brennda, Harald," she said. "Are you ready for some training?" I had already told her my plans for the day, and she graciously agreed to help me out.

Harald looked from me to Astrid with raised eyebrows. "And what kind of training would this be?"

Astrid grinned. "We call it 'Dragon Tactics,' but for this, you two will fight on your own. I have dummies set up inside the dome. You make a hit, and then the dummies get a turn. If you make it to the end, you two have to defeat me."

"Must both of us make it through to win?" Harald asked.

Astrid stared right at him. "No."

It seemed to me she was up to something, but I figured it would reveal itself in time. "Well, I think we're ready to go."

Astrid nodded. "Good. Follow me." She led the way inside the dome.

Fake brush zigzagged across the field, turning it into some sort of maze. Dummies littered each corner. Harald and I agreed to start off in opposite directions. I moved right, swiping every dummy that came in my path with my sword.

I was so focused on the battle that I forgot to check on how Harald was going. It surprised me when we reached Astrid at the same time.

"Ready?" my friend said, pulling out her axe.

I rushed her first. She easily blocked my sword with her axe. Then she swung at Harald, who parried her with his sword. We were still using a turn based system, so progress was slow. Even though she had to fight off two people, Astrid kept up very well. Neither of us could get a good hit.

I swung at Astrid, but she moved too quickly and my sword only caught air. I stumbled and fell onto my back, losing my grip on my sword. Panic struck me. According to the rules, I had to stay in this position until my next turn. Astrid smirked triumphantly and advanced towards me. But Harald, who also had not used his turn, stood behind her facing her back. He had a great shot at her if she chose to proceed.

I tensed as Astrid raised her axe. In a flash, Harald stood before me, blocking Astrid's axe with his sword. He looked down at my shocked expression with a grin. "Do not worry. I will not let any harm come to you."

Normally, I would have resented someone thinking I needed protection, especially a male stranger. But Harald's actions stirred something in me, and I found his words reassuring. Now that it was my turn, I snatched my sword and leapt up to stand beside him.

"Question," Harald said. "Are we allowed to use our turns at the same time?"

"Sure," said Astrid. "That's fine with me."

Harald turned to me. "We need to move together like during our race against Snotlout. Watch my back and I'll watch yours."

His strategy surprised me, but it made sense. I nodded. We moved as one, striking Astrid at different sides. At first, she kept up with us fairly well. But she slowly lost ground as Harald and I moved together, striking in sync and reminding me of a dance. At last, we had her pinned to the wall with out swords on either side of her throat.

"Do you surrender?" Harald said with a victorious grin.

"Yes!" Astrid said, out of breath. We withdrew our swords and let her have some space. "Wow, I am impressed. You two look like you've been fighting together for years."

"That is because we are destined to become the most magnificent team in all the archipelago," Harald said grandly, slinging an arm around my shoulder and pulling me close to him.

I was still smiling from our victory and might not have minded his actions if I did not noticed Astrid giving us a questioning look. I flushed when the reality of our position hit me. "N-No!" I ducked to get out from under his arm and then leapt back a good foot. "We just have similar battle styles. That's all."

Harald watched me in amusement. "You know, your reactions give you away."

I glared at him. "You're doing it on purpose."

Astrid chuckled. "I see you two get along just fine. Anyway, Brennda, he passes."

Harald smirked at me. "So, it was a test."

I shot Astrid an accusing look. "Not a test! Come on, we have to meet Ruff and Tuff." I stalked off before either of them could continue the absurd conversation.

***

"Hey Brennda and Harald!" Ruffnut said as we approached the twins on a hill where a catapult had been set up. Bolt and Leopold tagged along with us, and they both sniffed the contraption curiously. "How great of you to join us?"

"Was this here before?" I said, eyeing the catapult.

"Nope, it's brand new all thanks to us," Tuffnut said proudly.

"Gobber made it for us, and we set it up," said Ruff. "It's a gorgeous siege weapon designed to fling things. At its core, the catapult is a lever. Well, this is a more elaborate form of the simple machine, with a pulley to help. It'll sink a dragon hunter ship, no problem, if they try to attack us."

"Magnificent," Harald said. "Are we going to test it out?"

Tuff grinned. "You got it. Go ahead and shoot one of those rocks, Brennda."

I found a small rock near the base of the machine and placed it in the launcher. Then I pulled the lever, and the rocker went flying out into the ocean.

"What a work of beauty," Tuffnut said in admiration. "I think I have tears in my eyes. You see, the arm of the catapult is the lever. The lever is balanced on a pivot, and moves the load when you pull back on the lever and let go. The strength, or force, of the pull determines how far the object flies in the air. Cool, isn't it?"

"Very impressive," said Harald.

"Wait! Heather's always telling us to test things in a scientific manner. For once, I think I'm going to listen to her! I'm all for it if it means I can shoot the catapult more."

I chuckled. "Bolt and I will find different size rocks for you." I mounted Bolt and then hesitated as I looked at Harald.

"Go on," he said. "I'll have a nice chat with this two."

I almost warned him that might not exactly go as planned but then decided against it. If he could get through those two, then it would make my job easier. I took off in search of rocks. Soon enough, I had three different sized rocks placed near the catapult. And Harald seemed at ease as well.

"Tuffnut and I set up some markers in the bay so we can tell exactly where the shots are landing," Ruff said. "When you're ready, load the rocks rocks to send them hurtling toward the ocean. I can't wait! "

I loaded the small rock first. It flew high in the air and landed in the water near one of the further markers. Next, I launched the medium rock followed by the large rock. Each larger rock landed at a shorter distance than the previous rock.

"So, the larger rocks travel shorter distances," I concluded.

Ruff nodded. "They also shot a little away from the target. That must be because of air resistance. The bigger and heavier object has more mass to push through the air to the target. This means that when we shot three objects with the catapult, bigger objects consistently traveled shorter distances when we apply the same amount of force. If we want this heavy rock to fly the farthest, we need to apply more force."

Tuff came up to me and flung an arm around my shoulder. "As I always say to my sister, why just learn something when you can learn something while someone shoots stuff at you? Come on. it'll be fun!"

I chuckled at his insinuation. The twins were always trying to get me involved in some crazy scenario. Normally I may have passed, but I did have a job to do today. I turned to Harald with a smirk. "What do you say? Do you want to dodge rocks with me?"

Harald's eyes went wide. "What? That sounds terribly dangerous."

I grinned, now even more certain I wanted to do it. I loved to see his confidence shaken. "Nah, it'll be fine. Bolt is the fastest dragon around - save for Toothless."

"Scared?" Ruff teased.

"No," Harald huffed. "I simply fail to see the purpose."

"I thought that was obvious," Tuff said. "If you need a practical purpose, you'll be happy you had this practice when the dragon hunters swing by again!"

Ruff nodded. "It's best you bet acquaintance with one of our dragons if you want us to protect you."

Harald sighed and shook his head. "Are you sure you're not just trying to get me killed?"

I smiled sweetly at him. "Don't worry, I won't let anything happen to you. If you get hurt, I get hurt."

For his part, Bolt seemed excited by the idea. I mounted him first and then waited for Harald to get on. Once we were all settled, we flew out over to bay. Bolt turned and hovered near the middle marker in the water.

"That's perfect!" Tuff called. "I've got a perfect bead on you from here."

"Are you sure you want to do this?" Harald said, his body tense against mine.

I laughed. "It's a little late to back down now."

"Here we go!" Tuff shouted across the bay. "Make sure to dodge the rocks and blast it in midair! This will be so cool."

"I think those two have something wrong in the head," Harald muttered.

"You better hold on tight," I said as I watched the first rock hurling at us. Bolt zipped out of the way just in time. He dodged two more rocks just like that. Finally, I thought we had it down. "Now blast it!"

This time, Bolt maneuvered so he was directly in front of the rock. Then he let out a huge blast of electricity, shattering the rock into many tiny pieces.

"Excellent shot, Bolt!" Harald said.

I looked back at him. "I told you we could handle this."

"I never doubted you for a second."

I smirked. "Right." Tuff appeared too busy celebrating to launch another rock so I flew back to him and landed by the catapult.

"That. Was. Amazing!" Tuff exclaimed. "Operation Launch Catapults At Your Face is a success. Great work all around!"

"Of course the greatest team in the archipelago had it handled," Harald boasted.

I had to laugh at his renewed confidence. "You can get down now. Just don't fall off this time."

"I believe I have it handled now." He managed to climb off of Bolt's back and land on the ground. Leopold flew up to him and chirped. "Oh no, you're not getting a turn."

I dismounted Bolt and rubbed his head. "Good work, buddy." I turned back to Harald. "Let's go see what Fishlegs is up to."

"Oh? Will he have some rigorous training for us as well?"

"If he does, it will be more training of the mind than the body." Which I found perfectly acceptable. I could use a break myself. I felt oddly peaceful as I walked with Harald, and I wondered if my plan had backfired.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> There you go! I hope the explanation of Dragon Tactics made sense. I tried to twist it to make it as realistic as possible.


	10. Chapter 10

"Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things you didn't do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover."– Mark Twain

Chapter 10

Harald and I wound down by relaxing in Fishlegs' hot tub. Bolt and Leopold really enjoyed it as well! Fishlegs chattered on about random dragon facts, to which Harald took great interest. All in all, it was quite relaxing after the hard work of the morning.

Finally, we approached Hiccup at the center of camp, dragons by our sides. "Hey, Brennda," he greeted me. "Astrid said you've been doing... training?"

I shrugged. "Training, having fun..."

"Testing me," Harald said.

I feigned a look of shock. "And why would I do that?"

Hiccup frowned. "Brennda..."

"I'm afraid she doesn't like me very much," said Harald.

To this, Hiccup smiled. "Oh no. If she didn't like you, you'd receive polite indifference. She doesn't waste energy on those not worth her time."

I glared at him. First of all, how did he know that? Second, why did he have to give me away like that? Third, why did he have to be right? I was perfectly happy living in denial.

"Good to know, mate," Harald said, giving me a sly smile.

I crossed my arms in annoyance. "Anyway, what are we doing?"

"I want to see how well you two work with your dragons," Hiccup said. Toothless stepped forward, and the Viking took a flower from his jaws. "Dragons like flowers, so you will work with yours to find some. But it has to be this flower." He held out the blue flower for us to see. "It's a chrysanthemum, and it grows in the winter. It comes in a variety of colors, any of which will work for our purposes."

"Is it a competition then?" I said.

"Yes. I want to see which pair can find the most flowers."

I glanced at Harald to see if he found the whole idea stupid, but he had on his usual cocky smirk. "Sounds easy," he said.

"You're on," I muttered. He was even confident about flowers. I had to beat him now.

"I'll give you 15 minutes," Hiccup said. "Good luck."

Bolt and I dashed into the woods. It took a minute for me to realize we had to slow down if we actually wanted to find any flowers. Bolt put his nose to the ground while my eyes scanned for flowers. The chrysanthemums stood out because not many flowers bloomed in winter. Soon, I had a handful and Bolt had a mouthful.

We stopped when Hiccup and Toothless landed in front of us. "Time's up," Hiccup said. "It looks like you two did well."

I grinned. "We sure did!"

"Let's go find Harald and Leopold."

I took to the air after him, feeling pretty confident. There was no way Harald could beat me with his little dragon. Bolt and I were the best team. We found them at the edge of the treeline. They had their backs to us, but when we landed, they turned around. I looked in surprise to see them with no flowers.

"Did you not take this seriously at all?" I said.

Harald smirked. "I took this _very_ seriously, mate. Show them, Leopold."

The Terrible Terror turned around and dashed into the field behind them. A brightly colored field that looked a lot like...

"Chrysanthemums!" I gasped. It was an entire field of the flowers in every color.

"So, do we win?" Harald asked. Leopold bounded back to him and attached himself to his shoulder.

"Hold on, you didn't _pick _any of these flowers."

Harald's smirk widened. "Hiccup said whoever _found_ the most flowers would win. He mentioned nothing about picking them."

"He's right," said Hiccup. "Harald and Leopold are the winners." He cast me an apologetic look. "Sorry, Brennda and Bolt."

I shrugged. "It happens." And they just got lucky.

Leopold made a soft noise. "Oh alright, you may go play," Harald said. The little dragon flew to the ground and ran through the field of flowers once again.

I noticed Bolt watching with interest. "Do you want to get in there?"

The Skrill took this as an invitation to bound into the field.

"Are you two going to let them play alone?" Hiccup said.

"I'm sure they'll have more fun without us," Harald said.

This time, it was my turn to smirk. "I don't think so. Let's go." I grabbed his hand and dragged him into the flowers. 

Once we were actually in the field, he had no problem running around chasing Leopold. I smiled as I watched them. They really did seem close. I remembered what Hiccup had once said about dragons sensing if someone was a good person or not. Was that why he trusted Harald right away without knowing him? I broke out of my thoughts by Bolt nudging me with his nose. I turned my attention to playing around with him in the field of beautiful flowers.

The sun just started its descent in the sky by the time I decided it was time to leave. I did not want to disturb Harald and Leopold, so I quietly exited the field with Bolt.

"Do I get to spend time with _you_ now?"

I froze at Harald's voice right behind me. Crap. I thought I had been pretty sneaky. "What are you talking about?"

"You wanted me to spend time with everyone individually, correct? You are the only one left."

I finally turned around to look at him with raised eyebrows. "I spent time with you all day yesterday and today. That's enough."

"I'm afraid that doesn't count. I don't want anymore tests. I want to know _you_." He stepped closer to me until we were only a foot apart, piercing me with his green eyes.

I shivered and took a step back. "I, uh, don't want you to know me."

He took another step. "And why is that?"

I stepped away again and did not stop until my back hit a tree. "I just don't."

There was nowhere to run as he gazed down at me with an almost smug expression. "Are you afraid of me?"

"No. Don't be silly." The second I said it, I realized I did feel fear. It was just not fear in the normal sense. I was not afraid he would hurt me. It was something else.

"You're afraid to like me."

Yes, that might be it. Why? I had no idea, but I knew it was not something I could admit. "I'm not afraid. I have plenty of reasons not to like you." I pushed his chest to get him to back off, but he grabbed my hands and held them in place.

"But_ I _like_ you_."

"I can't imagine why." I tried to pull out of his grasp, but my heart was no longer in it. Why did I suddenly feel so conflicted? How could I feel nervous about him being so close and yet not want him to leave?

He chuckled, a sound I scornfully realized I liked. "You're not getting away that easily." He leaned in closer, causing my breath to catch in my throat. "Where were you sneaking off to just now?"

"Th-That's none of your business. You wouldn't like it anyway."

He merely smirked. "Oh? I've followed you around and humored you all day, but _this_ you won't allow me to do because you think I won't like it?"

I frowned. I had a feeling he wouldn't let me go until I gave in. I did not want to set such a precedent, but his nearness made it hard to think of any alternatives. "Fine. Bolt and I were going to watch the sunset in the air."

For a moment, the amusement left his eyes, replaced by something more... real. "That sounds lovely. I'm in." He let go of me and backed away. I thought I would be relieved, but his sudden absence left me chilled. He approached Bolt and placed a hand on the saddle. His teasing smirk returned as he looked over at me, frozen in place. "Are you coming or not?"

There was no way out of it now. I took a deep breath and strode up to Bolt. Only once I secured myself on his back did I realize my next problem. The next moment, Harald was very close to me again, and I was keenly aware of where his body touched mine. I had been fine when he dodge rocks together, but this suddenly felt much more intimate.

"Is something wrong?" he said next to my ear. "You seem... nervous."

I swallowed hard. "I-I'm fine."

"You have no problem facing life-threatening situations for fun, but you can't handle me?"

I heard the amusement in his voice, and I hated that he could read me so well. "No! I can, and I will handle you. Take off, Bolt!"

I relaxed once we were in the air. We flew out west over the sea. Colors were just beginning to appear on the horizon. The sun slowly sank closer to the water, which threatened to devour it.

"Marvelous," Harald said softly. "May we get closer?"

"No problem," I said. I urged Bolt forward as the colors spread in the sky. He swooped down low and dipped the edge of his wing in the water, spraying droplets that reflected the pink and orange hues from the sun. Then he glided up and acted as if he would fly straight into the sun. Then he hovered in the air as we watched the sun fade, sending exploding colors in every direction.

"Is this something you do often?" Harald asked.

"No. I've been too busy at school to even think of it. But it crossed my mind today, and I thought I'd give it a shot. It's beautiful, isn't it?"

"Very. Thank you for sharing this with me."

He sounded uncharacteristically sincere, and when I glanced back at him, my heart leapt in my throat. He gazed at me with a genuine smile. "Y-You're welcome."

His eyebrows lifted. "Am I making you nervous again?"

His teasing tone returned, and I gratefully latched onto my annoyance. "N-No. Why would I be nervous? Shut up and look at the pretty colors." I saw him smirk before I looked away.

Eventually, the sun vanished, and darkness descended. Bolt turned around and started for Dragon's Edge. I felt oddly calm as we landed. That trip had been more peaceful than I anticipated. Then I noticed Astrid standing near her hut, staring right at me with an unreadable expression. My heart sunk.

"It appears she would like a word with you," Harald said upon dismounting Bolt. "I hope I have not gotten you into any sort of trouble."

I shook my head. "No, it's probably nothing. I'll see you later." I rubbed Bolt's neck and then started for Astrid.

Without a word, she entered her hut, and I followed. Only once the door was shut did she speak: "It looks like you two had a nice time."

I shrugged. "I guess. I wasn't planning on it. He pestered me until I agreed to let him come with me, but I did enjoy it."

Astrid crossed her arms and gave me a pointed look. "You do remember what you're supposed to be doing, don't you?"

I frowned. "Keeping an eye on him? I did that all day, and he passed every 'test' I had for him. Sure, he's overconfidence is incredibly annoying, but that's hardly a crime."

"Fine, maybe he's not up to something, but you should still be careful. You don't know him, and if you start liking him-"

My eyes widened. "Hold on, I do _not_ like Harald."

She gave me a dubious look. "Really? You two seemed pretty cozy up there."

"That was nothing!" I snapped. "We were admiring the sunset, not each other."

Astrid sighed. "Brennda-"

"I don't like him, okay? Maybe I don't... dislike him as much as I thought I did, but that's it. I need to know him better and figure him out. I can do this." There was no way I would let him get to me.

"If you say so." She did not look like she believed me, but what more could I say? "Just let me know if you need any help."

I did not think all of the assistance in the world could help me.

***

"I don't have anything for you today," I said to Harald the following morning. I stood outside the stables, having just retrieved Bolt. "Don't feel the need to follow me around."

"Oh, but it's so fun," he said with a smirk. Leopold seemed to laugh from his shoulder.

I rolled my eyes. "Aren't you supposed to be upgrading your ship?"

"Yes. I think I will sail around and collect the necessary supplies." He paused. "Would you care to join me? I would much appreciate the company."

Before I could come up with a witty remark, the reality of his words hit me, and my blood ran cold. Sailing? No way. "Th-That's alright. I don't need to bother you."

"I'm sure sailing is not as exciting as flying, but it is an adventure in its own right."

"It's not that." I wracked my brain for a believable excuse. "I don't do well as a passenger."

"No problem. You are welcome to help out with the sailing."

I bit my lip and looked away. "I don't sail."

He let out an exasperated sigh. "I know you prefer flying, but-"

I took a deep breath and looked straight at him. "No, I mean I _can't_ sail."

Surprise flashed in his eyes. "What kind of Viking can't sail?"

"I never learned how. My parents died before they could teach me."

"I'm sorry."

I had expected him to tease me, but he seemed genuinely concerned for me. I felt encouraged to continue. "They died at sea. I wasn't with them, but that's still my last memory of sailing. I don't know how I'll handle being out on a boat. It's stupid, I know."

"No, it's not. You lost people important to you, and it is perfectly understandable that you would tie sailing to their death." For the first time, I saw pain slip through his shield, and I wondered what kind of memories I had stirred up in him. "But, you know, running from the past will only increase your fear. Let me help you."

I suddenly felt way too vulnerable, and I instinctively turned away. "Harald-" I meant to leave, but he caught my hand. Instead of pulling away, I looked back into his eyes.

"Let me teach you how to sail. It will give you a sense of control and help you get over your fear. And who knows? You may find you enjoy it." He gave me a small smile that I could not help but return.

"Alright. I'll give it a try." I did not understand what was happening. I had never admitted that my parents' deaths still bothered me to anyone, even my closest friends, and here I was confiding in a guy I claimed to not like? And yet, I felt nothing but safe with him. All my previous doubts and fears concerning him had momentarily disappeared.

Harald let go of my hand and flashed me a grin. "Great. I will not let you down."

"I'll just let Hiccup know where we're going. I'll meet you by the docks."

"Alright. Just don't skip out at me."

For the first time, I laughed at his teasing tone. "I won't make any promises."

He chuckled and started for the docks. I smiled as I watched him leave.

***

Sailing turned out to be quite enjoyable. Harald was a good teacher, and I soon forgot my fears. I also forgot I was not supposed to like him. Yet somehow, he was a little more bearable today. Once he had his proper supplies, we set course for Dragon's Edge and relaxed on the boat.

"You look like you had fun despite yourself," Harald said as he stood by the edge of the boat. Leopold and Bolt lay near him, asleep.

"I did," I admitted. "Thank you for teaching me. It did help a lot. Sailing isn't too bad. I think my parents would approve. They loved sailing." I smiled as they thought about them.

"Good. You are quite welcome." He paused. "Were you and your parents close?"

"We were pretty close. Of course, I didn't always appreciate them when they were there. I wanted to be independent and all that. But we got along just fine." It was easy to take people for granted. Having made that mistake once, I hoped I would know better next time. Harald watched me with a gentle gaze, appearing completely at ease. I suddenly found myself wanting to know more about him. "What about you? Were you and your parents close?"

Harald smiled almost ruefully. "Not particularly. My mother and I got along as well as we could, when she cared to pay attention to me. And my father-" He appeared to search for the right words as he took a moment to continue. "I could never do anything right in his eyes. He was a big, tough Viking, while I preferred to use my mind and avoid direct violence. He was always telling me I was not good enough and would never make anything of myself."

I frowned. "That's terrible!"

He shrugged. "I proved him wrong, didn't I? And I probably would not have become as self-reliant without him."

"That's one way to look at it." Still, I hated to think about anyone being treated that way by someone who was supposed to love and support him.

Seeming to sense my discomfort, he smiled. "Do not worry about me. I have everything I need now: my boat, my dragon, and the entire ocean at my whims."

"Ah, so that's why you love sailing. It gives you a sense of freedom."

"Precisely."

I gazed at Bolt, and a soft smile touched my lips. "I know the feeling. That's why I love flying with Bolt. When we're up in the sky together, it feels like we can do anything."

"Including intimidating anyone?"

I looked at him and saw a playful smirk on his face. "Except you, apparently. But I think that means there's something wrong with _you_, not me."

He chuckled. "Of course there's nothing wrong with you." He stepped closer to me. "I was not afraid of you because I was too caught up in your magnificence and beauty."

Caught completely off guard, I stood there, dumbfounded. He took this opportunity to brush a stray strand off hair off my cheek, which tingled at his touch. "C-Cut that out!" I stammered. I back away from him and turned around. My heart felt like it was beating a hundred miles a minutes. Why did I react this way around him? "It's not funny."

"But I wasn't joking." I heard amusement in his voice. "You know, if you're not afraid of me, perhaps you're nervous for a different reason?"

"Of course not," I huffed. I spun around, and my heart nearly leapt out of my chest when I found him right in front of me. He leaned forward and placed his hands on the edge of the ship on either side of me, trapping me. I glared at him. "What are you doing?"

He looked down at me with a smirk. "Admiring you."

My nervousness won out over my anger. As I gazed into his eyes, I let myself wonder what would happen if I gave into him. What would happen if I moved closer instead of away? Then reason took over, burying the silly thoughts deep inside. I shoved him, but he did not move an inch.

"You're going to have to do better than that, love." His smirk widened. "But I am not letting you go. I'm afraid there's nowhere left for you to run."

I took that as a challenge. I remembered my battle training with my father: always go for the unexpected. I took in a deep breath. "I wouldn't be too sure about that." I placed my hands on the railing behind me and hoisted myself up. Instead of leaping behind Harald like he seemed to expect, I turned and dove into the water.

It was still winter, and the water was freezing. But once my head popped out, I found I did not mind it too much. I _especially_ did not mind it when Harald looked over the edge of the boat in complete and utter shock. "Are you mad?!" he exclaimed.

I grinned at him. "The water's fine! Come on and join me."

"There is no way I'm joining you!"

"Oh, so all of that about not letting me go was just talk?" I teased. "I see how it is. A little cold water, and you give up."

Harald scoffed. "That is hardly the point. You need to get back here."

I smirked. "No." I thought this was the perfect time to practice my dragon calls. I let out a Skill noise, and a second later, Bolt's head popped up over the edge of the ship. I glanced at Harald and then the dragon and nodded.

Harald turned to Bolt in confusion. Before he could make sense of the situation, he was pushed overboard by the Skrill. I laughed as he flailed about in the water.

"You can swim, right?" I said. "You'll live." I cautiously swam over to his side.

Harald spit out water, but he did seem to have found a rhythm. He shot me a mischievous look. "You're going to pay for that." He used both hands to splash water on my face.

I gasped. "It's on!" He was already swimming away, forcing me to chase after him.

There was no clear victor in our battle, but I did not mind. We were both freezing and dripping wet by the time we returned to Dragon's Edge, earning us stupefied looks from the dragon riders. Or maybe it was because we were laughing and grinning like idiots. Either way, it was a pretty good day.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> We're getting somewhere now. Resistance is futile!


	11. Chapter 11

"Vulnerability is the only authentic state. Being vulnerable means being open, for wounding, but also for pleasure. Being open to the wounds of life means also being open to the bounty and beauty. Don't mask or deny your vulnerability: it is your greatest asset. Be vulnerable: quake and shake in your boots with it. The new goodness that is coming to you, in the form of people, situations, and things can only come to you when you are vulnerable, i.e. open." - Stephen Russell

Chapter 11

It was my turn for the morning patrol. Bolt and I flew around to all the neighboring islands to look for any trouble. I neared Zippleback Island when I was met by Ruffnut and Tuffnut flying on Barf and Belch.

"Brennda!" Tuff exclaimed. "It's an emergency!"

"Is something going on at Zippleback Island?" I asked.

"Yes! Dragon hunters set a bunch of traps on the island so they can catch the Hideous Zipplebacks that live in this area. I don't know when they set them, but I bet they'll be back to claim the dragons really soon."

"Alright, let's go!" I followed the twins to the island. When we got closer, they zipped ahead to scan for trouble.

"Oh no, we found Fart n Sniff!" Tuff called back to me. "He's in trouble. Quick, come meet us here, but make sure you don't he caught in any traps!"

Bolt swiftly flew down to where the twins had landed. There I found a Hideous Zippleback trapped in a net. Fishlegs and Harald stood near them, looking on in worry.

"Brennda!" Fishlegs said. "Thank Thor you're here."

Ruffnut walked up to Fart n Sniff, a sad look on her face. "What sort of monster would trap a beautiful Zippleback like this?"

Tuffnut placed a comforting hand on her shoulder. "It'll be okay, sister. We can cut the snare net and free the Zippleback."

"I've got it," I said. I pulled out my axe and chopped the snare net rope, freeing the Zippleback. The dragon seemed to smile at me gratefully.

"Be free, Fart n Sniff!" Ruff said, wiping a stray tear. "Be free!"

Tuff however, shook his fist in anger. "This cannot stand. This CANNOT stand! The dragon hunters left traps all around the island to catch unsuspecting, innocent Zipplebacks. We can't leave them here!" He turned to me. "Can you go around the island and shoot the traps?"

I nodded. "I'm on it." I returned to Bolt, and we took off. We managed to find three traps, which Bolt shot and disabled. I flew back to the twins to report my success.

"Bravo, Brennda," Tuff said. "Bravo!"

I grinned. "That's what I'm here for." I looked around the area. "Where did Harald and Fishlegs go?"

"That way," Ruff said, pointing to her left.

I thanked her and flew Bolt in that direction. I first noticed Fishlegs and and Meatlug staring at a pile of rocks and flew past him. Then I spotted Harald standing in front of a four-headed dragon hiding in a sand pit.

Harald looked at me in relief when I landed next to him. "Ah... Brennda, mate, there's a mutant Zippleback here. I don't know what's wrong with him... and I don't want to get any closer. I could use your expertise."

I looked at Harald, then at the dragon, and then back at Harald. I burst out laughing.

Harald frowned. "I'm being serious here. I almost walked right into that thing. What's wrong with it?"

But I was laughing too hard to give him a proper response. It was precisely because he was being serious that it was so funny.

Fortunately, Fishlegs approached us to explain. "It will be okay, Harald," he said. "That's a Snaptrapper, a calm Mystery Class dragon. It likes to set ambushes to eat its small prey and it won't come up here to attack you. In fact, they're pretty peaceful if you don't get in their way."

I finally ceased laughing, but the grin did not leave my face. I pointed at Fishlegs. "What he said. It's naturally four-headed. It's not a mutant."

"How was I supposed to know that?" Harald huffed.

"That's why it was funny. You were completely ignorant, which isn't too common. It was great!"

"I think that was a backhanded compliment," Fishlegs said, casting me an uneasy look.

"I'll take whatever I can get," Harald said. "Thank you, Brennda."

I smirked and rolled my eyes. "Anytime, Harald."

Ruff and Tuff finally arrived to see what was going on. I turned back to the Snaptrapper. A spider scurried down into the hole, and the dragon used one of its heads to swipe it up and devour it. It was actually pretty cool!

"Oh, I see!" Fishlegs said excitedly. "Snaptrappers and Hideous Zipplebacks eat different types of prey. It looks like this Snaptrapper likes to eat small land animals, where Barf n Belch really prefer to swoop down and snatch fish from the ocean. The two Mystery Class dragons must have shared a common ancestor a long, long time ago, and their physiology adapted and changed to match the type of food they prefer to eat. The Hideous Zippleback has two heads because it helps it catch fish, whereas the Snaptrapper has four heads because it can spread out and cover more ground while it lies in ambush."

"That's pretty neat," I said. "Nature is awesome."

"Wait, be quiet," Tuff said. "I'm having a thought... and I'm not used to the experience." He closed his eyes and took a deep breath. When he opened them again, they were full of determination. "So, if the Snaptrapper can hide and wait for its prey to come for it, can we do the same to dragon hunters? What if we created a giant hole and covered it with branches, leaves, and other bits of camouflage so you can't see it? Then we'll slow down anyone who's trying to attack the base."

"I like it!" Ruff said. "Especially if we get to dig a hole!"

"That actually sounds like a good idea," I said, "but we should ask Hiccup first to see what he thinks."

Tuff grinned. "Then it's back to Dragon's Edge!"

***

Hiccup listened intently as I explained what happened on Zippleback Island. "Wow, that's actually a very good idea from the twins!" he said. "Animals have developed defenses through generations of adaptation. The dragons are still alive because their defense mechanisms work. We can use dragon defenses as inspiration to defend our own base. I'm very excited to see what you can do with it!"

I smiled. "Great! I'll go tell the twins the good news." I did not have to go far before I ran into Tuffnut.

"Did you get permission from Lord Hiccup?" he asked.

"Yep, he was quite impressed!"

Tuff grinned. "Good, because we already dug the hole. Ruffnut and I are pretty good at making holes from burying each other alive all the time. You can't stop that kind of expertise! Come on and see our handiwork."

I chuckled as I followed him along the path. "Why am I not surprised?" Life was always interesting with these two.

Ruffnut waved at us when she saw us coming. She stood several paces in front of a bridge along the edge of the island. "Come check it out!" she said. "But don't get too close!"

I walked up to her, not daring to go any further. I squinted my eyes at the road in front of us. It looked like a bunch of foliage had been placed across the road. It was really only suspicious if you looked closely. This might work!

"Hey guys, what are you looking at?"

My head snapped up just in time to see Snotlout strolling across the bridge. Before I could even consider warning him, he stepped right onto the foliage and fell into a large hole. The twins and I burst out laughing.

"Loki'd!" said Ruff. "The pitfall trap is a success! The camouflage on the hole means that our enemies - and Snotlout - won't know it's there. What a well-executed plan, brother."

"Great job, guys," I said once I could breath again.

Ruff grinned. "Thanks, Brennda. You want to talk to Snotlout and make sure he's okay? Or gloat. I would totally gloat."

I chuckled lightly. "Well..." I walked over to the edge of the hole and peered down at Snotlout.

"Really, guys?" he said, his arms crossed in annoyance. "Honestly, who puts a hole in the middle of perfectly good pathways?"

I smirked. "That would be the twins and me. You didn't see it coming, did you?"

"Of course I did!" Snotlout huffed. "I just had to make sure that it was deep enough to trap people who fall inside. So, good job. You'll help me up, right?"

I glanced back at the twins. "Well..."

"Right? Ruffnut? Tuffnut? Brennda?"

"Okay, fine." It was fun messing with him, but it had to end at some point. I leaned over the edge of the hole and offered him my hand.

Snotlout clasped my hand, but before I could pull him out, he pulled me down into the hole. He laughed at my startled expression. "Now who's trapped?"

I stood up and brushed the dirt off my clothes. Then I shot Snotlout a glare. "We both are, genius. Who's going to help you out now?" I highly doubted the twins were up for it. I could hear them still laughing up above.

His smile fell. "I guess I didn't think that far ahead."

"Don't worry, we'll send help!" Tuffnut called down.

"Because you can't just get us out yourself," I muttered. The twins never made anything easy.

About a minute later, someone peered over the edge of the hole. Harald. "It looks like you're in a bite of a scrape," he said with an amused smirk. "Do you need my help?"

Suddenly, I understood the urge to pull him in with me. But then I'd be trapped in a tight space with him, so scratch that idea. I glanced at Snotlout. "Okay, I understand the temptation. Still a bad idea, though." I looked up at Harald. "Yes, I need your help. Leave him, though. He's the one who pulled me in."

"Hey!" Snotlout cried.

Harald chuckled. "You shouldn't mess with Brennda, mate." He offered me his hand, which I gladly took. He pulled me up out of the hole, and his other hand came around my back to steady me.

"Thanks!" I said. I blamed my racing heart on the physical exertion and not the fact that I stood way too close to him. He dropped the hand on my back but not the one he used to rescue me. "You can let go now."

He smirked. "What if I don't want to?"

I glared at him. "I'll push you into that hole!"

He laughed at this, but he did let go of my hand. "I was only joking."

"Harald!" Snotlout called from the hole. "Are you going to help me out now?"

I strode over to where Ruff and Tuff waited for me. I glanced back at Harald, who stared intensely at the hole.

"You ready for some more fun?" Tuff said. "You can bring him." He nodded at Harald.

"But not Snotlout," said Ruff. "Definitely not Snotlout."

"Harald?" Snotlout said desperately.

Harald turned his back on the hole. "Sorry, mate. Can't you call your dragon?"

"Uh... right. HOOKFANG?!"

No dragon had appeared by the time Harald reached us. "What kind of fun would this be?" he said. "No dodging rocks, I hope?"

"Oh no, we have something better planned today," said Ruff.

So, Harald and I followed the twins to find our next adventure. And Snotlout waited for a savior who may never come.

***

It turned out the "fun" the twins had in mind involved messing around with a group of Changewings that lived on the other side of the island. We tossed around various colors of paint, and when it got on the dragons, they became enraged. The paint made it easier to see them because they could no longer perfectly blend into their environment.

But they could still chase us. Ruff and Tuff thought it to be a fun game to try to outrun the Changewings. Eventually, they found their dragon before they could be torn to pieces. I called Bolt to my side, grabbed Harald, and flew out of there.

When we returned, we were in for a scolding from Fishlegs for causing a ruckus and disturbing the Changewings. The twins just laughed him off while I apologized. I promised to try to stop them next time, though I was unsure if that would actually happen.

I did feel bad for the dragons, so later that night, I returned to their habitat with a wet rag to attempt to wash off the paint. But even with the paint, I could not find a single dragon. What had I been thinking? They had probably already washed off the paint themselves, and if they didn't, they wouldn't trust me to help them out. I did not know of anyone who had successfully training a Changewing.

Right when I was about to turn to leave, I caught movement out of the corner of my eye. I stood completely still and stared at the spot. "Hello," I said cautiously. "I just want to help out." I held out the rag as an offering.

I held in a gasp when a young Changewing suddenly appeared right in front of me. He sniffed the rag, his eyes narrowed in distrust. But after a minute, he lowered his head and rubbed against it. "That's good," I whispered so as to not startle him. I looked him over but saw no more paint.

When the Changewing lifted his head and stared at me, I gained the courage to try something else. I held out my free hand to him, palm up. He continued to stare. I took a very slow step towards him. He bristled at first, but when I no longer moved, he relaxed. Then he moved his head forward and pressed his snout into my hand. I smiled and moved my hand to rub his head.

After that, he back up and gave me one last long glance before turning invisible again. I grinned at my success. Wait until I tell Hiccup! I excitedly spun around to head back to the Edge, but I immediately froze when I saw Harald watching me from the trees.

"That was quite impressive," he said. "I thought it would bite your hand off."

I frowned. "And you were just going to watch?"

He flashed me a grin. "Didn't want to spook the dragon, mate."

I rolled my eyes. "Right." I walked over to where he stood leaning against a tree.

"I did mean what I said. That was brave of you to attempt."

I shrugged. "I don't think Changewings are as aggressive as everyone assumes. Camouflage like theirs is typically a defensive mechanism, not an offensive one. Their goal is to blend into their surrounds to hide from others. They become hostile when their defenses are exposed, like what we did today."

"Ah, I understand now. You are like a Changewing."

I looked at him in surprise. "What?"

"I've been observing you. You appear to adapt to the person you are with. For example, you are more intellectual around Fishlegs and more run-loving around the twins. You adapt to your environment like a Changewing." He nodded in satisfaction as if he had figured me all out.

I considered the notion for a moment. "I... suppose that's true. It must be something I picked up back on Berserker Island. When Dagur took over as chief, his warriors made it hard to live, so I figured out how to get them to like me to survive. I guess I carried that with me to Berk. No one trusted me at first because our tribes were at war, so I had to make sure everyone approved of me. It is a defense mechanism, in a way. Everyone's acceptance helped ensure my survival."

Harald smirked. "And you are hostile to me because..."

I gave him a long look. So, he did understand. "Because my defenses work on everyone... except you. So, yes, like an exposed Changewing, I lash out to protect myself." I frowned. "Now tell me what you're doing and why."

Harald chuckled and took a step towards me. "I'm not doing anything, love. Not intentionally. Regardless, it does not matter. I already like you without you trying."

More like he liked teasing me. "What if I want you to dislike me?"

His lips twisted into a wry smile. "You are at a loss there as well, love. I see, it is control you are after. You want to predict and know how each encounter will go, am I right?"

Yes, that was it. I could not name it before, but that made sense. "Is it so wrong to want to thwart trouble before it strikes?"

He took another step closer. "How do you thwart trouble when you train dragons? It involves trust on both sides, correct? Like the Changewing." He lifted his right hand to my eye level, and I flinched. "My apologies." He removed his glove and tried again.

"What are you doing?"

He froze, keeping his hand in the air near my face. "This is how you bond with dragons, is it not?"

I frowned. "I am not a dragon, and that is strange for humans."

He smirked. "I bet dragons think it strange at first. But if you insist. Perhaps this will be better." He turned his hand so his palm faced me. "Show me your hand."

I gave him a skeptical look but could find no objections to his request. I slowly lifted my left hand, palm up, and held it in front of his. Harald pushed his hand forward until our palms touched. I should not have shivered at the contact, but someone he made even this simple act feel intimate. I looked into his eyes and relaxed upon seeing gentleness replace their usual teasing nature.

Harald shifted his hand and entwined our fingers. Then he brought our hands down so they hung between us. He smiled at me - one of his real smiles that I was quickly coming to love. "See?" he said. "I mean you no harm." He paused. "You worry about the future, but the truth is, trouble is always going to come. I will not make you any promises that I cannot keep. Forget about what could happen and focus on what is happening. Enjoy the moment because it might not last."

I shook my head. His words had my heart beating fast. Was I really that afraid of the future? So much of my life had become uncertain since Dagur took over that it made sense I wanted a little stability. "I don't know..."

"We can start small." He glanced up at the sky. "I enjoyed watching the sunset with you the other day, and I bet the stars looks just as spectacular on the back of a dragon." He smiled at me again. "What do you say?"

Part of me wanted to refuse, but a stronger part of me wanted to accept. And that's what scared me. I took a deep breath. Maybe he was right. Maybe I needed to relax and enjoy myself a little more. It was just a harmless night flight, right? "Alright. Let's go find Bolt." I started forward but stopped when I realized he still held my hand. "Do you mind?"

"Letting go? I do not want to, and I do not think you really do either."

I shivered at the implication. "Of course I do." But my words came out uncertain.

"This is what I'm talking about. Stop thinking so much and just feel." He ran his thumb across the back of my hand. "Now, tell me again, do you want me to let go of your hand?"

He had come closer again, and when I looked up, I found myself staring into his earnest emerald eyes. I should have refused. I should have just left him then and there. But something about the way he gazed at me made me want to be honest. This was different than his arrogant or even playful attitude I had become accustomed to. This was more... real. And I felt like I owed him something real in return. "No," I said quietly. "Do not let go." Because it did feel good. Too good for me not to be afraid, but I could put off those worries until later.

Harald smiled brilliantly at me. "Good."

Without another word, we strolled through the trees together, hand in hand. And I relaxed and enjoyed the moment.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey, everyone! I hope you're enjoying the story so far. I have compiled a bunch of my screenshots from School of Dragons that I think fit well, and I am posting them on Deviantart under the username pedepaulie. Make sure to check them out if you enjoy visuals!
> 
> Direct link: https://www.deviantart.com/pedepaulie/gallery/71515416/heart-of-a-berserker-school-of-dragons


	12. Chapter 12

"They say a person needs just three things to be truly happy in this world: someone to love, something to do, and something to hope for." - Tom Bodett

Chapter 12

The stars twinkled above us... and below us... and around us. For once, I forgot all my worries as I took in the wondrous lights. Even Bolt appeared inspired as he flew us around in different patterns trying to see everything.

"Look at that," Harald whispered from behind me.

I did not have to ask what he meant, for it caught my eye as well: a shooting star. The beautiful streak speak across the sky in glittering glory. I knew Heather would have some sort of scientific explanation for it, but I still found it mysterious and breathtaking. "Wonderful," I breathed.

"You know," said Harald, "some cultures believe, if you make a wish on a shooting star, it will come true."

A smile twitched on my face. "You don't seem like the kind of person to believe in magic or rely on luck to get something you want."

"Quite right. My accomplishments come through my own effort, but that is why I find shooting stars fun. It gives me a chance to go wild and wish for something I would never bother to actually try for because it seems impossible. I have nothing to lose."

I considered this for a moment. "That makes sense. Alright, I'll make a wish on the next star if you will."

"There's our chance."

Sure enough, another star streaked past all the others. Now, what should I wish for? I too worked hard for everything I wanted, so what was something impossible I wouldn't shoot for? Slowly, it came to me. I closed my eyes.

_I wish for a spectacular love like my parents had. Someone who will fight beside me and change the world with me_. _A love that conquers all._

I opened my eyes. I was not a cynic on love, really. It was not that I thought love was impossible. It was just that it was not a priority for me at the moment. And real love, the kind that could withstand any trial, did not seem too common. And if it were to happen, I doubted it was something I could control. I could not go looking for that kind of love. It had to find me. So, that was my wish.

"What did you wish for?" Harald asked.

I immediately went rigid. "Th-That's none of your business." The last thing I needed was to give him another reason to tease me. "What did _you_ wish for?"

"If I told you, it wouldn't come true."

If I didn't have to turn around to see him, I would have glared at him. "Then why did you ask _me_?"

He laughed. "I wanted to see your reaction, and from what I can tell, it must be a good wish."

I rolled my eyes. "Too bad you'll never find out what it is."

"I will if it's about me."

This time, I took the effort to turn my head and glare at him. I was met by his teasing smirk. "Why would it be about you?"

"Because mine was about you."

I gaped at him. "S-Stop playing around." He laughed again, and I looked away so I could not see the twinkling in his eyes. "It doesn't matter anyway. Wishes don't come true."

"True, but it's nice to dream sometimes," he whispered close to my ear.

My skin tingled upon feeling his breath, yet his words oddly put me at ease. "Yeah..."

We stayed up there a little longer, saying nothing. Finally, the cold air became too much, and I instructed Bolt to fly us back to the Edge. Thankfully, I did not see Astrid waiting to interrogate me. But I did see Hiccup.

"Nice night for a flight," he said, rubbing the neck of Toothless beside him. "I just got back myself."

"I found it quite enchanting," Harald said. He smiled at me. "Especially with such lovely company."

I flushed. "D-Don't say things like that!"

He feigned a look of surprise. "Why not? It's true."

"That's not the point!"

Hiccup chuckled. "It's good to see you two are getting along."

"We are not getting along," I said sourly.

Harald smirked. "That's what she _says_." He gave me a knowing look. "It's best I be off. Good night, Brennda.... Hiccup."

"Good night, Harald," Hiccup said.

"Good night," I said, smiling despite myself. I frowned when I realized Hiccup was looking at me with a goofy grin. "What?"

"I was watching you two," he said. "You seemed pretty comfortable up there. It reminded me of the time I first flew with Astrid on Toothless."

I blinked. "You mean when Toothless tried to terrify her because he was jealous of her?" I glanced at the Night Fury, and he gave me an almost guilty look.

Hiccup scratched the back of his neck and chuckled nervously. "She told you that? I forgot about that part. I meant after that when Toothless finally calmed down. We slowly flew through the clouds just as the sun was setting. Astrid looked so beautiful..." He smiled dreamily. "I think that was the first time she really liked me."

I could not help but smile. That was so sweet. Wait... Why did watching Harald and me bring up _that_ memory?! I shot him a suspicious look. "Hey! If you're suggesting I like Harald..."

"Don't you?"

It was hard to stay mad when he gave me such an innocent look. I held in a sigh. "I don't. Not like that. At least, I don't think so."

Hiccup looked at me quizzically. "Shouldn't you know?"

I frowned. "I don't have time for such silly notions."

"Love isn't silly, Brennda."

"Then why aren't you with Astrid yet?"

His eyes went wide. "I'm, uh, waiting for the perfect moment."

"The perfect moment isn't going to just show up, Hiccup. You have to create it." I left him to ponder my words as I brought Bolt to the stables.

***

Fishlegs met me bright and early the next morning. I had just fed Bolt his breakfast, and the two of us walked out into the warm, morning sun.

"Brennda!" Fishlegs said excitedly. "I've been thinking about the camouflage idea you and the twins came up with yesterday and wondering in what other ways we could use natural dragon defenses for our own base."

"Oh?" I smiled at him to keep him going. "You have an idea?"

"Yes! I would like to introduce you to a dragon to consider for base defense: the Catastrophic Quaken! He's this amazing Boulder class dragon that lives at Dark Deep. He has Armor 35, Jaw Strength 20, and..."

I blinked. "Slow down-"

"No, there's no way I can tell you the majesty of this dragon through my dragon stats (even though they're incredibly accurate). Let me show you in person. To the Dark Deep!"

I chuckled and shook my head. He sure could get enthusiastic when it came to dragons. "Alright, let's go." A morning flight might be just what I need to wake myself up.

The two of us took off at a steady pace. Meatlug seemed quite excited about the trip, which was understandable. I bet she had a lot of friends there. Soon, we landed on the island.

"Welcome to Dark Deep!" Fishlegs said proudly. "It's the legendary island home of the Gronckles. It's a rocky, dusty place - perfect for rock-eating dragons like the Gronckle and the Quaken! You see, many animals evolve over generations to live in their natural habitats. The Boulder Class dragons survive here better than most because their physiology has adapted to fit this environment!"

I stifled a yawn. "That's great, Fishlegs. So, where are the dragons?"

Fishlegs frowned as he looked around the area. "That's odd. The Gronckles and Catostrophic Quaken should be around here somewhere. My last few trips to this island have been really great with those dragons as company."

"Maybe they're still sleeping?"

Fishlegs shrugged. "Well, it can't be hard to find them! Let's fly around the island and look for the Quaken."

"Alright." I returned to Bolt, and we took to the air. I would have suggested we split up, but I was not exactly sure what this dragon looked like.

It turned out not to matter, for Fishlegs soon found what he was looking for. And something worse. He came across an abandoned camp... a dragon hunter camp. And there was a dragon in a cage, while another one looked on in distress!

"Oh no!" Fishlegs exclaimed as we landed. "The dragon hunters must have found this island with the Dragon Eye."

I immediately became fully alert. My expression darkened when I remembered how Viggo had tricked us out of the Dragon Eye. "At least they don't seem to be around now."

But Fishlegs was too busy panicking to hear me. "Oh no, oh no... Get a grip, Fishlegs! You can't fall apart now. Dragons are in danger!" He took a deep breath and let it out slowly.

I waited until he appeared calm to speak. "Is that the Catastrophic Quaken?" I nodded at the large Boulder dragon outside the cage.

Fishlegs nodded. "That's him. The Quaken looks a little worse for wear, but it looks like his friend is trapped in the cage. That is a Prickleboggle, a brilliant Sharp class dragon. He has really unique ability to heal with his 'fireball'! On my trips to the island, I've observed that the Catastrophic Quaken and the Prickleboggle have developed a symbiotic relationship, or a connection between members of different species where they help each other out. It's just like you and Bolt, working together!"

I gave him a weak smile. "Yes, very cool."

He gasped. "Gosh, what am I rambling about? We need to help the Prickleboggle out!" He ran up to the cage to examine it. "I don't think the Quaken can break the cage without hurting the dragons inside... What do we do? Those are dragon-proof cages. Fireballs won't do a thing to harm them!" The panicked looked returned to his face. "I'm out of ideas, Brennda. I wish Hiccup was here. Maybe we can go back to Dragon's Edge and ask for Hiccup's help. I'm sure he'll know what to do!"

"Maybe-"

"Wait, I think I saw Harald's boat lagging a little bit behind us. Can you ask him if he has any solutions in mind?"

I blinked. "What? Harald's here?" Why hadn't I noticed him following us? Oh, that's right, I was too tired because Fishlegs dragged me off on an adventure before I could properly wake up!

"Yes! Go! Go!"

"Alright, I'm going." I hopped on Bolt's back. "To the beach, buddy!"

Sure enough, I spotted Harald's boat docked at the beach. It looked like he had just walked on shore. I landed in front of him and did not even bother to dismount. "Harald!"

His face brightened when he saw me. "Hey there! I'm getting a feel for the waters around your Dragon's Edge. I was navigating the shortest path here with the currents, but I appreciate you slowing down on the flight over to give me a sporting chance to keep up."

I stared at him. "Right..." No way was I going to tell him I had not even noticed him. That was a huge slip on my part!

"I know you could have blazed on over here on your fast Skrill. These creatures are pretty convenient."

Maybe I could have, but it was Meatlug we slowed down for. Gronckles were not known for their speed. Not that they didn't have many other amazing qualities. I pushed the thoughts away to focus on what I came here for. "Yes, well, I need your help. There were dragon hunters here, and one of them captured a dragon in a cage! We're not sure how to free him."

Harald's expression turned serious. "A dragon is stuck in a dragon hunter cage? Say no more, friend. I've picked up a few useful skills on the seven seas. I can get the dragon out of that little jam!"

I smiled in relief. "Great. It's in the middle of the island, so flying will be quickest." I offered him my hand. He hesitated for only a second before grabbing my hand and allowing me to help him up on Bolt behind me.

In no time at all, we arrived at the dragon hunter camp, where Fishlegs paced in a frantic circle. Harald jumped to the ground and jogged over to the cage.

"Hello, dragon!" he said. "Don't claw my eyes out, you hear? Harald's going to get you out of that sticky little situation." He knelt down and somehow managed to open the cage. The Prickleboggle leapt out and immediately fired at the injured Quaken.

"You see?" said Fishlegs. "The Prickleboggle heals the Catastrophic Quaken when it gets hurt, and the Quaken defends the Prickleboggle from any predators. It's a relationship where both species benefit in unique ways. Oh, thank you for your help, Harald."

"Nothing to it, mate," said Harald.

"No, he's right," I said, grinning at him. "That was brilliant! You're awesome!" Still hyped up on the excitement of the day, I bounded forward and hugged him. When I felt his surprise, I snapped out of it and pulled back. "Oh, sorry."

But Harald grinned mischievously. "Don't be." He grabbed my arm and pulled me back to him. 

I managed to get my arms up in time, and my hands rested on his chest while he wrapped his arms around my waist. "H-Harald!"

"Is something wrong?"

I did not dare look up at him in fear that I was blushing like mad. "Fishlegs is watching!"

"Oh? If we were alone, you wouldn't mind this?" I could hear the smirk in his voice.

"N-No!" I slapped my hands against his chest. He laughed and finally let me go. I took a moment to compose myself and calm my breathing. I spared Fishlegs a quick glance. He looked as awkward as I felt. "S-Sorry, Fishlegs."

"It's fine, Brennda," Fishlegs said, giving me a tentative smile.

"We'll finish this later," Harald said in a low voice.

I glared at him. "No, we won't!" I turned back to Fishlegs. "We're done, really. Are the dragons okay?"

Fishlegs nodded. "I think our Quaken friend is going to be just fine. We should clear the island of these nasty weapons and traps that the dragon hunters left behind. Can you grab them all?"

"No problem!" I was grateful for the task to keep me occupied. I picked up the tools and weapons and placed them in a pile. "That should be all of them."

"Good," Fishlegs said with a pleased smile. "The dragon hunters bit off more than they could chew with Dark Deep. You think you can trap the Catastrophic Quaken so easily? I wish I could have watched them slink away from the island, tails between their legs!" An unusually menacing look crossed his face.

"Calm down there, buddy," I said. "The danger is passed."

He smiled sheepishly. "Sorry, I get a little bit steamed when I think about dragons being mistreated. As much as I'm happy Quakey chased the dragon hunters away, they must have captured the Gronckles that lived here. We need to tell Hiccup. Let's go back to Dragon's Edge and give him these disgusting tools we confiscated."

"Good plan." I started packing the items I collected into the saddle bags attached to Bolt's saddle.

"We'll meet you back at Dragon's Edge, Harald," Fishlegs said. "Thanks again for your help! I don't know what we would have done without you."

Harald nodded at him and then turned to me. "Do you mind giving me a ride back to my boat?"

"Actually, I do mind," I said, climbing onto Bolt. "I'm in a hurry, and it looks like you could use the exercise. See you later!" I took off before he could protest. I tired not to feel bad. I just did not know if I could handle being so close to him again so soon.

My mind cleared by the time we returned to the Edge. I told Hiccup everything that happened and handed over the dragon hunters' weapons to him.

"That could be a big problem," he said after accepting the weapons. "Dark Deep is far away from the Dragon Hunters bases... are they expanding their territory? Good job gathering those tools. I'll put them away where they can't be used to harm any dragon."

"Thanks," I said.

After he left, Fishlegs approached me. "We were sort of busy when we were at Dark Deep, so I didn't get to show you what I took you there to see. You see, the Catastrophic Quaken relies on two things to protect himself. The first is his thick, armoring hide. He can shrug off blows that would stop most dragons and keep going. Second, his nest is protected by sheer rocks on all sides so that he is protected when he is most vulnerable. It leapt to my mind when Hiccup mentioned the idea of dragon defenses. We can do the same at Dragon's Edge. Let's gather some boulders around the island. If you can find five suitable boulders and I do the same, we might have enough to get something going here!"

I smiled. "Alright, let's do this!"

So, we spent the next several hours gathering boulders and building a wall. When it was finished, Fishlegs wanted the Catastrophic Quaken to test it. I returned to Dark Deep and convinced the Prickleboggle to let me ride him. Fortunately, the Catastrophic Quaken followed us back to Dragon's Edge.

The Quaken rolled into a ball and slammed into the wall. The wall stood strong! Fishlegs and I exchanged grins. Our defenses were looking good!

***

The following day, Hiccup asked me to return to the school and update Heather on the situation at Dragon's Edge. To be honest, I was happy about the trip. I had not been home in nearly a week, and it would be good to grab a few of my things and also check up on the dragons I trained.

Heather greeted me enthusiastically. We spent a few hours catching up and enjoying each other's company. She promised to think of ways to add to our defense at the Edge. She also said she would try to head over there sometime. She seemed somewhat guilty for being away, but I told her not to worry about it. I understood why she wanted to focus on her work at the school instead.

I almost told her about Harald but ultimately decided against it. She would either scold me like Astrid or encourage me like Hiccup. I did not know which I feared more.

A storm brewed in the distance when I got ready to leave that afternoon. "Are you sure you'll be alright flying in that?" Heather said, looking worried at the sky.

I strode to Bolt's side and rummaged through one of my bags. "I'll be fine. Skrills are great in storms. Besides, I've got this." I pulled out a suit made for flying and smiled proudly.

Heather's eyes went wide. "Is that made of rubber?"

I grinned and nodded. "I finally got enough from Johann. I had to do a lot of work for Snotlout to get enough Monstrous Nightmare gel to trade for it, but it was worth it. This would help me out in the storm." I slipped the suit over my normal clothes. Just right.

Heather smiled at me. "It looks like you've got everything figured out. Good luck, and tell everyone I said hello."

"Will do." I mounted Bolt, and we flew off towards the storm.

By the time I neared Dragon's Edge, the rain poured and lightning occasionally struck. The weather seemed to put Bolt in a good mood, and I did not mind it either. Coming up to the base, I saw Hiccup and Harald waiting for me - both of them drenched. I landed in front of them.

"Hey, guys," I said brightly. "What's going on?"

"We were worried about you being out in this storm," Hiccup said. "I mean, I knew you would be fine, but-"

"I wanted to make sure you arrived safely," Harald said.

I smiled. "Thanks, but you needn't have worried. Bolt and I love storms." I gestured towards myself. "I've got this suit made of rubber, which is an excellent insulator of electricity."

"Lightning is kind of their their thing," Hiccup said.

Harald looked at Bolt in interest. "Really? Does the storm increase his power?"

I grinned. "Yep! Let me show you."

At my word, Bolt excitedly flew into the storm. I made sure we were a safe distance from the Edge, and then we began. Bolt flew around, shooting bolts of electricity in various directions. Lightning mingled with his shots and lit up the sky, illuminating us both. We had done this many times in the past. It was good practice, but it was mostly a lot of fun. The way we moved together felt like a dance.

When we had enough, we returned to our audience. They both appeared impressed, but it was Harald who gazed at me in admiration. "That was spectacular, Brennda and Bolt," he said. "You two make a mighty good team."

I grinned. "Thank you." The rush of the activity caused me to stumble off Bolt, but Harald caught me and held me steady. "Whoops. Thanks."

"It's quite alright," said Harald. He looked me over, and his lips twisted into a smirk. "You may like electricity, but electricity doesn't like you. Your hair is a frizzy mess."

I laughed. "If I stay in the rain long enough, it'll go completely flat."

"And if we stay out in the rain much longer, we'll all get sick," Hiccup said.

"He's right," said Harald. "Let's go warm up."

"Sounds good to me." The four of us started for the clubhouse. I cast one last glance at the storm. Winter as coming to an end. I wondered what good things awaited me in the spring.


	13. Chapter 13

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I have finally sketched out a rough outline for the full story. It looks like it might make sense to break it up into four parts. I could keep it as one, but I think it is easier on readers to not allow it to get too long. There would be four parts with about 25 chapters each. Here is what I'm thinking as far as the expansions go:
> 
> Part 1: Icestorm Island - Battle for the Edge  
Part 2: Return to Dragon Island - Rise of Stormheart  
Part 3: Wrath of Stormheart - Curse of the Hobbgobbler  
Part 4: original content
> 
> Let me know if you have any thoughts or suggestions!

"_This is the last time__  
That I'm ever gonna give in tonight__  
Are there angels or devils crawling here?  
I just want to know what blurs and what is clear to see_

_Well, I can see the pain in you  
And I can see the love in you  
And fighting all the demons will take time  
It will take time_" 

\- "Angels or Devils" by Dishwalla

Chapter 13

It did not take long for Heather to make good on her promise to help out. Astrid met me after her morning patrol and told me Heather needed my help on Glacier Island. She was not sure about the details, but she said she would send the Prickleboggle as backup just in case. That sure was a handy dragon to have around.

I found Heather on the far side of the island standing next to Windshear in her dragon rider outfit. I landed next to her and offered her a friendly greeting.

"Hey, Brennda," she said. "I was wracking my brain to find any advantages we could hold over the dragon hunters, and I remembered my book of notes. It held a lot of insight on the dragon hunter defenses and ways, and I just can't find it! So, I thought maybe I dropped it on this island. That's when I found out that we have another problem on our hands. Do you remember the Snow Wraith?" 

"Oh yeah, I remember," I said. That dragon had nearly gotten us all killed when the dragon hunters were after him. And Hiccup had almost hurt Heather. If I hadn't intervened... I pushed the thoughts back. I had to focus on the present.

"Well, he's in trouble. I'll show you what I mean. I'll lead you to his home."

I followed her on foot to a cave nearly concealed by the snow. I could see not immediately see the Snow Wraith, but I did notice a bunch of footprints everywhere. "Speed Stingers?"

Heather nodded. "Judging by the patterns, it looks like there was a vicious fight here, doesn't it?"

"I'd say. So, you think the Snow Wraith was injured?"

"I hope not. I know that he's tried to attack us in the past, but it was in his nature to protect his territory. I don't hold it against him! Will you check out the cave and see if he's okay?"

To be honest, I was not thrilled by the idea, but Heather did have a point. It was our duty to look after the dragons here. I turned to Bolt. "Stay here, alright?" It would be safer if he were with me, but I did not want to risk scaring the Snow Wraith and having him turn aggressive.

I carefully entered the cave and looked around. A minute later, I returned to Heather. "He's not here. Do you want to go look for him?"

"We probably should," Heather said. "This might be really difficult since the Snow Wraith uses camouflage to blend in with the surroundings. He'll be really hard to spot."

"Then this will be good training." We mounted out dragons and took off. 

We must have searched every inch of the island before we found him. Actually, we spotted Heather's book first since it stood out in the snow. Beside it lay an injured Snow Wraith. Luckily, the Prickleboggle showed up just then.

"Of course we'd find the Snow Wraith and my book in the same place," Heather said. "Just my luck..."

"At least the Prickleboggle looks ready to help," I said as I strolled over to him. He appeared happy to see me. I smiled and rubbed his head before climbing onto this back.

"We don't want to spook the Snow Wraith with any more people than necessary," said Heather. "After all, wounded animals don't tend to do well being approached. I'll stay out here while you go in and shoot the Snow Wraith with the Prickleboggle's healing shot, but remember not to get too close!"

I nodded. "I've got it!" I urged the Prickleboggle forward at a slow pace. We stopped when I thought we were close enough, and my dragon friend shot the Snow Wraith with his healing fire. Within second, the big white dragon appeared to perk up. I smiled in relief.

And now the matter of Heather's book. I carefully slid off the Prickleboggle's bag and took small steps towards the object. The Snow Wraith kept his eyes on my but did not move as I picked up the book and then started back to Heather.

"Thank you!" she said when I handed it to her. "I wouldn't have gotten this back without you and the Prickleboggle. I'll read it again and see if there are any hints inside that would help us fight the dragon hunters."

"Sounds good to me!"

"It was really hard to find the Snow Wraith because it has a special color on its skin to blend in with the environment. This is called camouflage. The Snow Wraith uses it to sneak up on prey and hide from predators. Can we do something like that to help base defenses at Dragon's Edge?"

"Maybe. Let's go talk to Hiccup and see what he thinks!"

So, it was back to Dragon's Edge. I noticed that Harald's boat was gone, so he must have gone sailing again. Oh well. I would have to introduce him to my roommate some other time. If I still thought that was a good idea.

Hiccup approved of our camouflage plan. He thought it would be great if we could conceal out catapults so the dragon hunters wouldn't see them coming. Heather and I collected tree branches at Hobblegrunt Island to hide them. We gave the foliage to Ruffnut, who quickly executed on our plan. Heather and I flew out to the bay to examine her work.

"Looks pretty good," I said.

"I agree," said Heather. "Ruffnut did a great job installing the camouflage. You can see through the camouflage up close, but I couldn't see the catapult from the water. Invading dragon hunters won't even know what hit them once these catapults start firing from nowhere. It's going to be great!"

I grinned. "Awesome!"

"It's nice to be on the base with Astrid and the gang. I feel like Windshear and I need to be out here, making a difference with the gang..." A look of regret crossed her face, and I offered her a sympathetic smile.

"You're always welcome here, but don't think you're abandoning everyone. You work at the school is important too."

"I know. I love exploring science as the alchemist of the school, but I figure I can continue pursuing that out here. I just need to figure out where I need to be."

"I'm sure you will."

She finally smiled at me. "Thank you, Brennda."

***

I stared intently at the chess board as I pondered my next move. I had brought the game back with me after my visit to the school because I was excited to have a new victim - I mean, opponent. In the past, I beat all of my friends multiple times over. The only person I had almost lost to was Hiccup. But now Harald was causing me to thinking harder than I ever had since I played against my dad.

The worst part was the smug look on his face the entire game. It was like he knew he had won before we had even started. I tried to not let him break my concentration. It did not help that the dragon riders crowded around us in the clubhouse, watching our every move. Their unusual silence was almost creepy.

"I wouldn't do that if I were you," Ruffnut said as I started to move a pawn.

Okay, maybe the silence wasn't so bad. "How many times have you won this game, Ruff?" I moved the pawn anyway. Then Harald smirked and took it out.

"I told you," said Ruff.

I shot her a look. "It doesn't matter. Chess is more about long term planning anyway."

"And my plan is superior to yours," Harald said with a confident grin.

"We'll see about that. Why do you guys have to watch anyway?"

"Because we've never seen you take this long to win," Astrid said.

"It's nice to see you struggle for a change," said Snotlout.

I frowned. "Thanks, guys." In my next move, I took out Harald's king. Even this did not phase him.

"How come you can lose your king but not your queen in this game?" Tuffnut asked.

"Because, while men are physically stronger than women, women are psychologically stronger," I said. "We can get over the loss of our love, but men crumble and fall."

Harald raised his eyebrows at this. "Is that how it is?"

"Oh yeah," Astrid said with a grin. "You should have seen Snotlout when Heather rejected him."

Snotlout shot her a glare. "I thought we weren't going to talk about that!"

Harald chuckled. "Then I shall never fall in love."

"I don't think that's something you can control," Fishlegs said.

"And what do you know about love?" I said, giving him a teasing smirk.

Fishlegs immediately became flustered. "I, uh, well..."

I returned to my game and considered my next move. My mind shot down many possibilities until... I was left with nothing. I stared at Harald, who watched me with a triumphant smirk.

"What's the matter?" he said. "Make your move."

I looked down at the chess board and then back at him. There was no move I could make without losing, and he knew it. "This can't be happening."

His smirk widened. "Do you surrender?"

"Never! A Berserker always goes down with a fight." I moved my piece one space. It was all I could do.

In one switch motion, Harald made his own move, knocking over my queen. "Checkmate."

Silence fell over the room. Then everyone crowded around Harald, congratulating him on his victory. Meanwhile, I sat there in shock. "No, no, no!" I groaned. "How could this happen?"

"It's simple," Harald said. "I had every move planned out in advance. I led you into making specific moves - moves that were perfectly logical and the only good moves you could really make. But they all benefited me in the end. Don't feel bad, though. I would not have had to use such tricks on a lesser player. You are a truly worthy opponent."

I glowered at him. "Yeah, well, next time-"

"You can't beat me, Brennda. But you're welcome to try."

"Sorry, Brennda," Hiccup said. "It looks like you've finally met your match. I know how that feels, trust me. Just be glad he's an ally and not an enemy."

Somehow, that did not make me feel better. I hated losing. And perhaps more than that, I hated seeing Harald win. I had to find some way to knock him off his feet. I stood up and started for the door.

"Where are you going?" Harald asked.

I stopped. "I'm taking a walk; I need some fresh air." I should have just left, but something compelled me to add: "You're welcome to join me if you wish."

Harald smiled.

***

"Where did you learn to play chess so well?" Harald said as we walked along the path that wrapped around the island. "I thought Berserkers were more about action."

"Not all of us," I said. The cool air felt good and helped to clear my head like I thought it would. "Under Oswald the Agreeable, the island was quite relaxed. My father taught me how to play chess. He was the only one who could beat me." I smiled at the memory. "He thought highly of Oswald, and up to the end he believed some of his spirit must live in Dagur, despite our new chief's insistence on bringing us back to our 'glory days.'"

"There is a rumor that Dagur killed his father to become chief," Harald said, eyeing me carefully. "Do you know if it is true?"

"It's not true." I had not known that until the day he allegedly died. He left a note for Heather explaining everything. "Oswald died at sea. Dagur only spread the rumor so that everyone would think he was tough enough to be chief." The reality of it finally sunk in. "Maybe my dad was right. Maybe Dagur did care about us after all. He just... got lost in his obsession with Hiccup and Toothless."

"I suspect leading a village is difficult, especially when it happens unexpectedly."

I nodded. "That's true. Maybe I should have given him more credit, but I can't regret leaving. I don't know where I'd be if I hadn't joined the School of Dragons. And I don't know where I'd be without Bolt. Still, I can't believe Dagur is dead. He _has_ to come back and lead Berserker Island. He's our best hope."

Harald remained silent for a minute, watching me as we walked. Somehow, I did not find it uncomfortable. "Do you want to go back? If Dagur is alive, would you return home?"

I considered the question. Of course, it was something I had thought about a lot, but it was hard to say for certain what I would do with so many variables up in the air. "Not at first. I am enjoying my time at Berk and the school. I still have a lot to learn. But eventually, yes, it would be nice to return home. I have this crazy dream of reintroducing the Skrill to my people, but this time we would be friends with them, not their masters."

Harald smiled. "I do not think that is crazy. It is good to have a goal."

"I suppose." We fell into silence again. I wondered why I felt so at ease talking to him like this. Save for Heather, my past and future were topics I avoided. For some reason, I felt I could trust him. Still, I did not want to be the only one opening up. "What about you, Harald? Who taught you how to play chess?"

His demeanor instantly changed, and he looked away from me so I could not see his eyes. "That is not a story you want to hear."

I frowned. This did not sound like the confident Harald I knew, which made me all the more curious. "Sure, I do. I want to know more about you."

I saw a flash of surprise in his eyes when he looked at me, and then he gave me a small smile. "Very well." He shifted his gaze straight ahead. "Some time after my father left, my village came under hard times. One day, we were attacked by a group of vicious bandits. Then a stranger appeared and saved us. He was a wanderer and agreed to stay and help us rebuild. He became a hero figure to everyone. He was everything you could ask for in a Viking: strong, brave, kind, valiant, honorable, and highly intelligent. My mother fell in love with him, and I suppose I did as well. He was my role model, and he was the one who taught me how to play chess. For awhile, everything was perfect."

"That sounds great," I said cautiously, for I sensed the story was about to take a dark turn. There was an almost bittersweet smile on his face and sadness in his eyes. "What happened next?"

Harald came to a stop. He stared at the ground for several moments before speaking. "We learned he was not who we thought he was. He turned on us and left us in a worse state than before we met him. My mother never got over him..." 

He turned away from me, which was a first in our relationship. I wanted to reach out to him but did not know if I should. So, I waited for him to continue. 

"But I learned some powerful lessons. That man taught me everything I know, including this: true deception requires the active participation of the deceived as well as the deceiver. We should have known better. We ignored all the signs because we _wanted_ to believe in him. We could not believe that someone who could perform such wonderful deeds could actually be rotten at the core. 

"I've learned people don't actually want the truth. They want to believe lies because it's easier, and that's what expert manipulators take advantage of. The truth is too difficult, too sticky and full of nuances. People find it hard to accept that two seemingly contradictory facts can exist simultaneously. They want black and white. Truth, honor, and justice may sound like nice ideals, but people resent you if you try to actually live them. So, what's the point? Is it really deception if someone refuses to listen to the truth? I've met many different people in my travels, and they're all the same." He shook his head. "That day, I learned there are no such things as heroes. The only person you can count on is yourself."

The coldness in his voice sent an unpleasant shiver down my spine. I never expected him to reveal so much to me. His tone and the way he had physically separated himself from me told me this was a warning. He wanted me to stay away.

So, why did I feel pulled to him more now than ever before? I realized he could have been me. If I had never left Berserker Island, I easily could have come to the same conclusions he had. I could have lost all hope in humanity. But I didn't because I was given a chance, and I made friends. But Harald... he had no one. I understood his pain and loneliness, and I felt compelled to reach out and help.

I realized I had been such a fool. My interactions with him were laced with concern for myself and what he was doing to me. I never once considered what he was going through. I did not see that his mask of confidence hid his hopelessness and despair. But to start caring now meant to step into his darkness. I had to stop prioritizing my security, for, as I sensed from the beginning, there was absolutely nothing safe about him.

I could walk away and pretend like nothing happened. After all, he _expected_ me to reject him. We might even be able to continue as normal. Everything would be fine. Was that really what my life had come to? Was I going to run in fear from every threat? If so, I might as well admit he was right about everything. And deep down, something higher called to me. So, I made my decision.

"Harald?" He did not respond. He stood there staring at the ground, several feet from me. So, I took a few steps. "It must have been tough going through all that alone. And I understand not letting just anyone in simply to have somewhere there. It took me years before I became close to my friends. Sometimes being alone is the better option. But-" I took a deep breath and moved closer still. "You might be able to survive on your own, but you can't thrive. If you don't have anyone else... you can trust me."

I stood right beside him now, and he finally looked at me in surprise. "You're not rejecting me? I thought - I just trampled on everything you believed in. I've never told that story to anyone I didn't want to scare off."

I reached out and took his hand in mine. He flinched but did not pull away. I smiled softly at him. "I could never reject you, Harald. Not now that I know who you truly are."

"Bitter? Resentful? Hopeless?"

I shook my head. "You may say truth doesn't matter, but you must value it for your experiences to affect you so much. Everything you've given up on you must be sensitive to, or else what would there be to turn away from? Maybe you've given up hope, but I have a feeling that if you found enough evidence, you would gladly take up the fight again."

He gazed at me with a mixture of emotions. Mostly, he seemed perplexed. "You give me too much credit."

I smiled. "I don't think so. Thank you for sharing this story with me. You made me realize you were right before. I _was_ afraid to like you. But I'm not anymore. And I do like you, Harald. A lot. Maybe everyone you've met has let you down, but I won't. I'm different from them."

A small smile flickered on his face, warming my heart. "I know. That's why I like you."

For the first time, I believed his declaration. Was this why he was drawn to me? Did he sense he could trust me? I vowed to never do anything to betray that trust. "You don't have to be alone anymore. I don't want you to be alone."

Harald used his free arm to pull me closer to him in a half-hug. I relaxed against his chest while he rested his head on mine. "Thank you, Brennda. You are the most remarkable Viking I have ever met."

We stayed like that for a long while. Despite our close contact, I did not feel nervous at all. For the first time since meeting him, I felt completely comfortable. Something deep inside me told me this was right. This was where I belonged.

He pulled away suddenly, sending a wave of cold throughout my body. I looked at him in concern. "Harald?"

Uncertainty flashed in his eyes, but it was gone a second later. "I'm sorry, I just-" He paused and started again. "I'm not used to being so open."

I nodded slowly. "I understand." I did not like how he would not look at me. Was something else bothering him? After he revealed so much, it felt wrong to pry.

"I should go." He turned to the path that led back to the base.

My heartbeat suddenly sped up. "Wait!" Was I running away from me? Had I pushed to much?

He stopped. "I'm sorry. I do not like talking about the past... or the future. So, how about this?" He faced me again, and his gaze was gentle. "Tomorrow, let's go on an adventure. Just you and me. And our dragons of course. We'll go wherever the winds take us and live life in the moment."

I had to smile at that. Good, he didn't hate me. "That sounds wonderful. I look forward to it."

Thankfully, he waited for me as I caught up to him. And then we walked back together in a comfortable silence. I sensed even then that everything had changed once more, but there was no way I could have known what I was getting myself into.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well, that was fun! It may be past the point of no return for Brennda. ;) Let me know what you think.


	14. Chapter 14

"_And at last I see the light  
And it's like the fog has lifted  
And at last I see the light  
And it's like the sky is new_

_And it's warm and real and bright  
And the world has somehow shifted  
All at once, everything looks different  
Now that I see you_" 

\- "I See the Light" - from Tangled

Chapter 14

"I assume you've made your verdict?" Astrid said as we entered the stables to feed our dragons.

I gave her a funny look. "Verdict?" I held up a bucket of fish to Bolt, and the Skrill eagerly buried his face in it.

Astrid raised her eyebrows. "You're spending the day with Harald, right? Have you made up your mind about him?"

I stared at her, trying to jog my memory. I came up with a blank. "What was I supposed to be doing again?"

Astrid groaned. "_Brennda_! You're supposed to find out what he's up to! We both thought he was hiding something, didn't we?"

I blinked. "Oh, right." I had completely forgotten about that. Once I started, each interaction with Harald fueled the next, and I lost sight of my original purpose.

Astrid held her bucket up to Stormfly. "So, what did you find out?"

My conversation with Harald the previous night flashed through my mind. I _had_ found out the answers I wanted. I just thought the answers were too personal to share with my friend. "He's... not up to anything. It was his over-confidence I found odd, but I think he just needs a friend."

Astrid seemed to consider this. She did not appear convinced, but she did not push the point. "You do not believe he's a danger to us?"

I lowered the fish barrel once Bolt finished and set it off to the side. "Not from what I've seen. What could he really do, anyway? We've got seven riders and six dragons, and he's just one Viking. I'd say we have the advantage. He's the one who's had to trust us."

"True. He's have to be pretty dumb to try anything."

I smiled. "Exactly."

"Now that that's taken care of..." Astrid crossed her arms and smirked. "You really do like him, don't you?"

I flushed. "I, uh, like him as a friend. That's it."

"If you say so..."

"Good morning, lassies!" Harald strolled into the stables with Leopold perched on his left shoulder.

"Good morning, Harald," Astrid said. "We were just talking about you."

I shot her a look.

"Really?" Harald said with a smirk. "All good things, I hope?"

"No, Astrid was just giving me advice on how to properly intimidate you," I said.

Harald laughed. "Still on that? I'm afraid that ship has sailed, mate." He turned to Bolt and smiled at him. "Hello, mighty Skrill." He lifted his hand, and Bolt lowered his head so he could pet him.

I had to smile at their interaction. Bolt did not warm up that much to just anyone, and that was reason enough for me to trust Harald.

"Well, you two have fun today," Astrid said.

"Thank you, Astrid," said Harald. "We will report our success at the day's end."

Astrid gave me one last teasing smirk as Bolt and I followed Harald outside. Why did she have to put such thoughts in my head? I did not like him. I had no time for silly notions like romance.

"You have nice friends," Harald said once we set sail on his boat.

The gentle sway of the boat and the smell of the sea relaxed me, and I forgot about my previous worries. "Yes, they're the best." I wondered if he ever had any friends like that. From what he had told me, I suspected not. "Don't you ever get lonely traveling all the time? It must be hard to get to know anyone."

"It does not bother me. I get to meet all sorts of people. I'm never really alone."

"I suppose." But it wasn't the same, and he had to know it. My eyes fell to the dragon on his shoulder. "You do have Leopold though."

Harald smiled and rubbed the Terrible Terror's head. "Yes, it's hard to be lonely with him around."

"How did you meet him?" I found it amazing that someone not from Berk had met and trained a dragon on his own. There had to be a story behind it.

Harald gazed at the little dragon a he continued to pet him. "I rescued him from... a group of villains."

"Dragon hunters?"

"No." His expression darkened. "Pirates."

_This_ caught me off guard. "Pirates?"

Harald gave me a wry smile. "Have you ever seen pirates in these waters?"

"No. I mean, my parents told me stories. Back when Berserkers controlled Skrills, they occasionally ran into pirates, but they were no match for them." It was not something I had ever given much thought, to be honest. Pirates never seemed like a real threat.

"You best hope you never come across one. They're ruthless thieves who only look after themselves." His cold expression softened slightly when Leopold nuzzled his head into his neck. "I found them torturing this Terrible Terror for no reason other than the fun of it. I had heard rumors of trained dragons but had never dared tried it myself. Yet, when I saw this one being attacked..." His eyes glistened with sadness.

"You saved him," I said softly. I moved in close to him and placed a hand on his back to comfort him.

A small smile flickered on his face. "What else could I do? I got him out of there and healed his injuries. He wouldn't leave me alone after that."

I leaned my head against his shoulder. "And you say you don't believe in heroes."

"Trust me, _I_ am no hero."

I looked up at him with a smile. "You are to him." I nodded at Leopold. In response, the Terrible Terror nuzzled him again.

"If you should learn anything from that story, let it be this:" His eyes gleamed with something I did not recognize. "_Never_ trust a pirate."

I shivered but did not move away. Clearly, I had unintentionally hit another sore spot. But why this? Why did this story affect him in this way? I dared not ask.

Harald said nothing for a minute. Then he straightened up and strode to the front of the boat. "Enough of that! We are supposed to be enjoying the day in the present."

I let relief pass through me, gladly accepting the change of topic. "Okay, then how does this work?"

He turned to me with a grin. "We sail until we find adventure!"

I chuckled at his sudden enthusiasm. "Then sail away!"

Bolt lifted his head form his resting spot and gave a growl of approval.

***

The day flew by, yet at the same time, each moment seemed to last forever. Harald and I stopped and explored the islands that crossed our path and talked for hours on his boat. Bolt either flew beside us or scouted ahead. We ran into several dragons, both by land and sea. I took pleasure in showing Harald how to approach them and gain their trust. He seemed in awe of each one we came across.

We sailed further east than I had ever been. As the sun began its afternoon descent, we approached an island that appeared home to a small village.

"Let's stop there," I said. "Then we should probably head back to Dragon's Edge." Harald might be comfortable sailing at night, but I did not want our friends to worry.

"That sounds like a plan," Harald said. He eyed Bolt when he landed on the boat. "You may want to leave him behind. He may scare the inhabitants."

I shook my head. "We'll never change people's opinions of dragons if we run every time someone gets scared. If they turn aggressive, we'll leave. And who knows? They may already live in peace with dragons."

"Very well. If you are certain."

We pulled up to a small dock. The three Vikings on the shore took one look at us and turned and fled. Harald and I exchanged glances. Okay, maybe they weren't at peace with dragons. Still, it was too late to turn back now. Leopold climbed onto Harald's shoulder as he exited the boat. I followed with Bolt by my side.

An older Viking woman met us at the top of the small hill. "Hello, travelers," she said in a pleasant voice. "Are you here for the festival?"

I blinked. "Festival? What kind of festival do you have in the middle of February?"

The woman smiled. "A festival to celebrate love, of course. It is in honor of the union between the two Vikings who founded our village. We often get visitors who attend to receive our special blessing to protect their love."

"That actually sounds really nice," I said.

"Quite," said Harald, looking at me with a suspicious smirk.

Why was he...? Then it hit me. My eyes went wide, and I leaped about a foot away from him. "No, no, no! You've got it all wrong. We're not together. We don't have any love to bless."

Harald gave me a wicked grin. "But we could, dear Brennda."

I glared at him. "That's not funny."

"Who said I was joking?"

The woman chuckled. "I see. It's just as well. I'm afraid I'll have to ask you to-"

"Over there!" came a loud voice. One of the Vikings from before strode over with a young women and pointed right at us. "How dare you come here with that beast?"

I placed a hand on Bolt's back to calm him before he became defensive. "I'm sorry. He's actually quite tame."

The Viking shook his head. "Not _him_. Any ferocious dragon that doesn't immediately start attacking us _must _be tame. I'm talking about _him_." He pointed at Leopold.

I burst out laughing. "You're afraid of a Terrible Terror? You can't be serious!"

"Why are you laughing?" Harald said indignantly. "Leopold can be very ferocious."

I laughed again when the little dragon let out a high-pitched growl. "I'm sure."

"I am sorry about this," the young woman said. "Please let me explain. My name is Signy, and I am the chief here. Recently, we have had problems with a group of Terrible Terrors that have moved in. They steal our crops and get into all sorts of mischief. And now they're stealing the flowers for our festival. No one can get a grip on them."

"Otherwise we would love to welcome you to join us," the older woman spoke again. "I am Embla, Signy's mother. Where did you two say you were from again?"

"I'm from Berserker Island, but I'm currently living on Berk," I said. "My name's Brennda. This is Harald. He's..."

"I am a humble trader and explorer," Harald said. "And you are in luck. Brennda here is the best dragon trainer on all the archipelago."

I looked at him, startled. "I wouldn't go that far. And you're the one who's trained a Terrible Terror."

"Then you should both help us with out problem or _leave_," the male Viking said, shooting us angry glares.

"Easy, Andor," Signy said, placing a hand on his shoulder. "I am sorry about my brother, but he does have a point. If you cannot help us, we will have to ask you to leave."

"But if you do help us, you will be honored guests at our festival," Embla said, spreading her hands grandly.

"We would be honored to attend your festival," Harald said. He turned to me. "What do you say, Brennda?"

While I was not thrilled at the idea of attending a love festival with Harald, I hated the thought of turning my backs on a people with a dragon problem. So, I offered the chief my best smile. "We would love to help you with your Terrible Terror problem."

***

I did not expect it to be _this_ difficult to wrangle a bunch of tiny dragons. What the chief said appeared to be true. The Terrible Terrors were going wild and causing a ruckus. I wondered why they had suddenly settled on this island. Had a larger predator chased them out of their home? From what I could tell, they had chosen a nice new location without any larger dragons. But it was that sense of safety that allowed them to cause trouble without fear of retribution.

Bolt managed to herd the dragons into an open field away from the village. From there, Leopold tried to talk to them, but they showed little interest in the newcomer. The dragons were tame enough and clearly trainable; they simply had no reason to listen to us. What exactly were they after?

"Are you ready to give up?" Harald said, watching a pair of Terrible Terrors wrestle over a chicken bone.

"I never give up!" I declared.

He smirked at me. "You really want to attend that love festival with me, don't you?"

I rolled my eyes. "It's not about the festival. It's about helping these people." Movement in the bushes several yards away caught my eye. A little girl probably seven or eight years old, emerged and looked up at us with big eyes. I smiled. "Hey, Harald, go talk to that kid."

Harald frowned. "I'm no good at talking to kids."

"Because you can't fool them with your confident act?" I smirked. "Kids - and dragons - see through anything. You have to be real with them. I've got to see this. Go talk to her!"

Harald scoffed. "_You_ talk to her."

"But she's looking at _your _dragon." I pushed him towards the girl, and he reluctantly approached her.

Harald cleared his throat and crouched down to look at the girl. "Hello there."

"Hi," the girl said shyly, her eyes still on Leopold.

"What's your name?"

"Ingrid."

Harald looked back at me for help. I grinned at him and nodded at him to go on. He returned his gaze to the girl. "Can I help you with something?"

Ingrid pulled a purple flower out form behind her back and held it up to Harald's left shoulder where Leopold sat. "Mum."

I immediately recognized the flower. "Hey, a chrysanthemum!"

Leopold leaned forward and snatched the flower in his jaws. He made a small chirp in appreciation. Ingrid smiled.

"You may pet him if you wish," Harald said.

Ingrid raised a shaking hand. Leopold met her halfway and touched her hand with his snout. The girl giggled.

"See?" I said. "You're not so bad with kids." A sound behind us caught my attention. I held in a gasp when I saw the Terrible Terrors inching towards us, curious looking on their faces, some staring at Leopold and others at Ingrid.

Harald and I exchanged glances. "Are you thinking what I'm thinking?" he said.

"The kids," I said confidently.

"The flowers," said Harald.

So, we put the two ideas together.

***

Our plan worked beautifully. We gathered up all the kids in the village and introduced them to the Terrible Terrors. Of course, the children did not care about the wild play of the dragons, and the dragons seemed overjoyed by the attention. Then we had the kids give the dragons flowers. We were able to work with them to train the Terrible Terrors to find more flowers on their own and bring them back.

The adults in the village were shocked when they suddenly had more flowers for their festival than they knew what to do with. And they were even more surprised to see their children running around with the little dragons. I explained to the chief that the Terrible Terrors would not cause trouble if they were given something productive to do and also allowed to play in a non-destructive way.

The idea struck home. Many of the parents accepted the dragons into their homes and promised to care for them and train them right. It was nice to see their opinions change as they witnessed the Terrible Terrors doing something they had not thought possible. And so, Harald and I were invited to join the festival in the middle of the town.

"You two are simply wonderful," Chief Signy said as she led us to the town square. "How did you manage it?"

I smiled at Harald. "Well, we are the best team in the archipelago."

Harald grinned back at me. "That we are, love."

And then the festival began. The town was filled with flowers, and the smell of roasting meat filled the air. The Terrible Terrors happily followed the children around, not bothering anyone at all. Signy praised us in front of all her Vikings, retelling the story of how we trained their dragons. I felt bashful at the applause, but Harald really took it in.

"I knew you could do it," Embla said as she tottered over to us, giving us a wink. "And now you are our honored guests. Let me give both if you a gift to symbolize the blessing on your love."

My eyes widened. "I told you, we have no love!"

"But it would be rude to refuse a gift from the chief's mother," Harald said. "And you're thinking too much again, Brennda. Weren't we suppose to live in the moment today?"

I bit back a retort. He did have a point. I smiled graciously at Embla. "You may proceed."

Embla smiled. She started the blessing, speaking mumbled words I could not understand. Then, from a pouch on her waist, she withdrew two items. To me, she handed a beautiful flower-shaped hairpin made of silver and painted blue. And to Harald she gave a silver ring shaped like several tiny flowers linked together.

We both thanked her. Harald slipped the ring on a finger on his right hand. When I lifted the hairpin to place it in my hair, he caught my wrist to stop me. "Let me get that for you," he said with a gentle smile. 

Time seemed to stop as he gazed at me while placing the pin in my hair. Why did he have to look at me like that? Why did he have to seem so genuine and sincere for once? My heart could hardly take it, and I could not come up with a word of protest.

"Has anyone ever told you how beautiful you are?" he asked softly.

"I - I'm not-"

He lifted his hand once more and placed it on my cheek. "Yes, you are."

I sensed not even a hint of teasing from him, and that only made me enjoy his touch even more. I placed my hand over his on my cheek, keeping it there. It felt _so_ good. This was bad. This was very bad. And yet, all my fears and anxieties faded away as I got lost in the moment. I loved the way he was looking at me... like he adored me. No one had ever looked at me that way. "Harald..."

"Do I know love or what?" came Embla's voice from the sidelines.

I blushed and took a step beck, lowering Harald's hand from my face. But he kept a hold on my hand and pulled me close to him. I gasped and lifted my hands to place them on his chest before I fell into him. I let him wrap his arms around my waist and smile down at me.

"I had a great time today, Brennda," he said. "Thank you for accompanying me. I did not realize adventures could be more enjoyable with someone beside you."

I smiled. "I've realized that too. And thank _you_ for helping me relax and have a fun time. You were really good with the dragons - and the kids."

Harald chuckled. "No, I think that was mostly you. I think you're wonderful, Brennda." He leaned in closer to me. "Can I keep you?"

With that, my remaining resistance melted away. I no longer cared about the consequences. I just wanted to be near him. I wrapped my arms around his neck and rested my head on his chest. His strong arms held me securely against him, and I felt completely safe and protected. "You'll have to ask Hiccup."

I felt his body vibrate as he laughed, and I loved the feeling. "I may do just that."

***

Stars darted across the night sky at Dragon's Edge upon our return. The festival had been fun. There was music, dancing, and good food. I hoped no one worried too much about us coming back so late. Hiccup and Astrid were there to greet us after we docked.

"Did you two have a good time?" Hiccup asked.

"Yes, we had a grand adventure," I said. I led Bolt to the stables, and the others followed.

"We helped a village train a group of Terrible Terrors, and then they invited us to their love festival," Harald explained.

"Terrible Terrors?" said Hiccup. "That sounds exciting."

"_Love_ festival?" said Astrid.

I winced and slowly turned to look at her. "Yes, well, it was quite lovely, and-"

"What's this?" Astrid reached out and touched the flower in my hair.

"Oh, that's-"

"It was a gift she received after the blessing of our love," Harald said very 'helpfully.'

My face turned crimson. "H-Harald!"

He held up his hand. "And they gave me this ring. They're symbols of our love."

"Stop saying that! We have no love!"

Harald smirked. "Then why did we accept these gifts?"

"Because _you_ said it would be rude not to!"

He gave me a mock look of dismay. "Brennda, you really should be careful about who you listen to. Oh, that reminds me." He turned to Hiccup, who had a bewildered look on his face. "I have been really enjoying my time here with Brennda, and it pains me to think that one day I will have to leave. Can I keep her?"

My jaw dropped to the ground. "_Harald!_"

Hiccup stared at him in shock. "What?" he said. He looked at Astrid for help, but she was too busy suppressing her laughter.

"She said it was alright with her if you gave your permission," Harald said.

"W-What's wrong with you?" I cried. "I didn't think we were being serious!"

Astrid looked at me with a smirk. "So, you _did_ say 'yes.'"

"I was living in the moment!" I glared at Harald. "And you can't just go around and say things like that!"

Harald feigned a look of innocence. "But you are _so_ adorable when you're flustered." He gave me a smile that was way too sincere.

I gaped at him. Was he serious right now? I looked from him to Hiccup and Astrid's amused faces. This was about all I could take right now. "You know what? Good night." I turned and stormed out of the stables.

"Good night, love!" Harald called after me.

I bit my lip to keep from smiling. I knew that was simply a more familiar term to the 'mate' he usually used, but it still affected me like he probably knew it would. I really was doomed.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> That chapter was very fun to write. I hope you enjoyed it as well. :)


	15. Chapter 15

"We're born alone, we live alone, we die alone. Only through our love and friendship can we create the illusion for the moment that we're not alone." — Orson Wells

Chapter 15

I ignored Astrid's pestering questions. It had been a long day, and I was not ready to talk about it. Even I did not understand everything yet. I needed time to digest all that happened. So, the next morning, I took a long walk with Bolt to think everything over.

Ever since Harald showed up, my life had become totally unpredictable. Somehow, I was slowly becoming used to it. I enjoyed it, even. Now my biggest fear was that it would have to eventually end. I remembered what Harald had asked Hiccup. Had he actually meant it? I could never go with him, of course, but the thought that he wanted me with him warmed my heart.

I had not figured out much of anything by the time I returned to camp. I spotted Harald at once, and we locked eyes. Why did I suddenly feel so nervous? Bolt nudged me forward with his snout, nearly causing me to stumble. Harald noticed and watched in amusement.

"Silly dragon," I said, shooting him a look.

"I think he likes teasing you too," Harald said.

I rolled my eyes. "Lucky me."

"Anyway, do you know what's wrong with your friend Snotlout? He sounds a bit... nutters. He kept rambling on about 'he's sick' and 'poor armor.' It sounds like he might have an obsession, mate."

I cocked my head to the side. "What's wrong with him? Where do I start? I think he was dropped on his head as a baby - and knowing his father, that's highly likely. He's always coming to me with his crazy concerns, like there is a sea monster in the ocean (it was narwhals) or the sky is on fire (it was the Northern Lights)."

Harald laughed. "Mental health aside, he asked me to tell you in confidence to meet him at Armorwing Island. It sounds like a bit of fun! I'll follow behind you in my ship, if you don't mind. I could do with a bit of laugh!"

"Sounds good to me." 

I climbed onto Bolt and took off while Harald set sail on his ship. I kept a steady pace so he could keep up with me. We arrived at Armorwing Island at the same time and found Snotlout on the shore.

"Hey Brennda, Harald," Snotlout said. "What are you doing here?" 

"You say that like you didn't ask us to meet you here," I said.

Snotlout frowned. "Well, since you are here, I can use your help. There's a big problem!"

"Tell us what you need, mate," said Harald.

Snotlout opened his mouth to speak, but then a curious look crossed his face as he looked at me. "Hey, where did you get that flower?"

I realized he must have been talking about the hairpin. I cast an uneasy look at Harald. "Well, um, we went to this festival last night-"

"And it's a symbol of-"

Eyes wide, immediately turned on Harald and placed my hands over his mouth to prevent him from speaking. "Don't you dare finish that! You've caused enough trouble." I waited a moment and then cautiously lowered my hands.

"But it's only the truth, love," he said.

Wincing, I turned back to Snotlout. "You said you needed help?"

Snotlout watched us in amusement. "You know, I like you, Harald. No one else can break Brennda's calm and collected attitude like you can."

I glared at him. "Thanks, Snotlout."

"See? That right there. It took me ages to see her fierce side."

Harald laughed. "I do my best."

I rolled my eyes. "Did you want my help or not, Snotlout?"

Snotlout's smile faded, and his worried look returned. "Yes, follow me." He led us a little ways inland and stopped in front of a dragon lying in the sand. "I've been keeping an eye on this Armorwing ever since he nearly destroyed a family heirloom and wrecked my relationship with my father. He was doing well, but something is wrong. I think he might be sick!"

I had to smile at this. "Aww... You're concerned about your little friend. That's so sweet. I knew you were a big softie at heart."

"You better not tell anyone," he muttered. "Normally, this attracts metal pieces onto his body and melts them together. He's not attracting enough metal right now, so there are holes in his armor. He has really weak skin, so he's in danger!"

"That is a problem," Harald said. "We can't let the poor dragon run around defenseless."

Snotlout nodded. "The Armorwing can't seem to pull those silver ore pieces to himself. Do you think there's a scientific reason why these silver ores don't work?"

"I don't know," I said. "But I know someone who will."

"Heather! Exactly! We can grab some samples of different kinds of metals and take them to Heather to test in the lab."

"Sounds like a fine idea, mate," Harald said.

So, the three of us split up to collect a variety of ores. I found some iron ore, Snotlout collected silver ore, and Harald gathered gold ore. Since I had the fastest dragon, I offered to fly to the school and meet up with Heather. I was a little leery about leaving Harald and Snotlout together, but I had more pressing matters to attend to.

I met Heather at the lab, and she was eager to help. She said it sounded like the Armorwing used magnetism to attract ores to his body. So, we just had to find the most magnetic materials. We tested it out in the lab. It turned out iron ore was the winner. I thanked Heather and flew back to Armorwing Island as fast as Bolt could flap his wings.

Snotlout appeared impressed with my results. "Wow, this magnetism thing is crazy!" he said. "It's like a super power, and my Armorwing has it."

I smirked. "Yeah, _your _Armorwing."

Snotlout stared at the ores we had gathered. "So these silver rocks aren't magnetic, but the iron rocks are. We need to figure out a way to lead the Armorwing to the iron. Hmm..."

"If I may make a suggestion, mate," Harald said. "How about setting a trail of iron ore that the Armorwing can follow? We could lead the thing to a place with tons of iron. It would be like setting 'magnetic breadcrumbs.'"

I grinned at him. "That's brilliant!"

"Of course it is. It was _my_ idea."

I rolled my eyes. "Okay, now I see why you and Snotlout get along."

"What's that supposed to mean?" Snotlout said indignantly.

Meanwhile, Harald did not seem bothered in the least. "You know the way, Brennda. I figure you should be able to make the trail with four iron ores."

I nodded. "Right." I flew off back to the place where I found the iron ore. I gathered four pieces and dropped them off on the way back to the Armorwing.

The dragon slowly stood up. He sniffed the iron and then picked it up, melding it to his skin. Then he sauntered to the next piece.

"Yes, it worked!" Snotlout exclaimed. "The Armorwing should be armored up in no time. I did something awesome! I need to go and rub it in Hiccup's face... but I want to stay here and make sure he's getting better."

I smirked. "See? Softie."

"Well, the victorious vikings should return to Dragon's Edge and reap the spoils of their actions!" Harald said. "I will meet you back there shortly, Brennda. I would like to find out more about this odd little magnetic creature. Please go back and tell your leader about what happened."

"Alright," I said. "See you later, Harald. And thanks for your help."

"My Armorwing appreciates it," said Snotlout.

"Anytime, friends," said Harald.

Another job well done!

***

I spent the morning walking with Bolt once again. It was oddly relaxing even if it did not solve all my problems. When I got back to camp, I saw Hiccup returning from his patrol. "Hey, how's it going?" I greeted him.

Hiccup smiled at me. "Great. No trouble to report. I was just noticing that Dragon's Edge version two is looking to be a lot better than the first go around. We have a lot of defenses that we didn't have when we first arrived here. The dragon hunters will be really surprised next time they come here! It's thanks to your hard work, Brennda."

I shook my head. "Thanks, but it's not just me. Everyone has been helping out."

"But I appreciate you sticking around to help out." He paused. "I just ran into Skulder, and he mentioned that he could use the help of an expert dragon trainer to solve a peculiar dragon problem. You definitely can be called an expert dragon trainer now. He's at Mudraker Island."

I smiled. "A dragon problem, huh? I'm on it!" I had not seen Skulder in awhile, so it would be good to catch up.

"Before you go, will you talk to Harald? He's made some great progress with understanding dragons, and maybe he'd want to go too."

"Sure thing." I told Bolt to wait for me outside while I searched for my friend. I found him inside the clubhouse, reading something while Leopold peered over his shoulder. "Hey, Harald."

He looked up at me and smiled. "Hello, Brennda. Fine morning, isn't it?"

"Yes, very. Hiccup just told me some interesting news. Remember how I told you about my friend, Skulder the archaeologist? Well, I think he's trying to train a dragon, and he wants my help. I thought you might like to join me."

Something flashed in his eyes, but it was gone too quickly for me to identify it. "Ah! That's a tempting offer, mate, but I'll have to pass. I've been reading the Book of Dragons." He held up the book in his hands to show me. "It's a fascinating tome, if I may say so. Besides, I actually have met Skulder. I did not want to say anything before because he is a... strange man. He doesn't like me much, though I wouldn't be able to tell you why. I ran into him once and he accused me of trying to hurt him, for no reason!"

Something about his explanation made me uneasy. I immediately pushed away my doubts, assuming I was just being paranoid. I trusted Harald, right? I had to stop finding suspicion in everything. "Oh, that's too bad. I suppose Skulder is a bit eccentric." I paused. "I'm sure it's just a misunderstanding. I could talk to him for you if you want."

That look returned briefly to his eyes. This time, I recognized it as fear. But that made no sense.

"No, you best not," Harald said before I could ponder further. "I do not want you to get into the middle of this. Please don't mention me to him at all. He's such an unpredictable man, and I would hate to see him act irrationally if he knew I were here."

I furrowed my eyebrows in confusion. That did not sound like the Skulder I knew. Then again, I had not interacted him with others too much. Perhaps he had a side to him I did not know. Besides, I should not meddle in other people's affairs. "Okay, if you're sure."

Harald smiled at me, seeming relieved. "Thank you, Brennda. I appreciate it. I suppose you'll be off to meet him now? On your way, then! I'll be safe and warm here at Dragon's Edge, curled up by the fire with the Book of Dragons."

"Alright, I'll see you later." I gave him one last long look before exiting the clubhouse. There had to be a story between him and Skulder. I wanted to probe him further, but I could not keep the archaeologist waiting. There would be time to talk later.

Bolt and I soon arrived on Mudraker Island. I found Skulder waiting for me on the shore. I dismounted and greeted him with a smile. "Hello, Skulder!"

"Brennda!" Skulder exclaimed. "You'll be helping me out with this dragon problem? How wonderful, how wonderful! After our little adventures at Icestorm Island and with the Death Song, I'm sure you'll be able to sort out this misunderstanding."

I smiled. "I'll do my best. What's going on?"

"As you know, I've been wary of dragons in the past. It's hard to forget years of dragon attacks and childhood memories of how afraid I was. But my adventures with you at my side have convinced me that I really need to get with the times and train my own dragon!"

I grinned at him. "That's amazing! I'm proud of you, Skulder."

He nodded. "Thank you. I started excavating this island for Viking relics when I noticed a little dragon friend watching me whenever I used my pickaxe. I want to train him, but he always runs away! Maybe you can help me out. Please, let me lead you to my campsite."

"Sure. I can't wait to meet him." I followed him on foot through the heart of the island. We stopped when we came to a campsite next to a muddy swamp.

"Oh! Be very quiet, Brennda," Skulder said. "There's the adorable little fellow!"

I smiled at his terminology. He certainly had come a long way if he found a dragon adorable, not that I disagreed. I followed his gaze to the swamp where a purple dragon poked out its head. "Aw, he is pretty cute."

Skulder smiled. "I think that he is a 'Mudraker.' The name certainly suits him. He almost never comes out of the mud. In fact, this is the most I've seen of him so far. He's usually much more secretive. He has his back to us... do you think you could get close to him, touch him and calm him down so I can train him?"

I examined the dragon, who did not appear to notice us. "I don't know much about Mudrakers, but I'll give it a go." I slowly approached the dragon, but when I got too close, he suddenly sunk into the pond.

"How did he know you were there?" Skulder said in astonishment. "He wasn't even looking at us, and you were barely making any noise! That doesn't make sense to me!"

I frowned. "I'm sure there's a logical explanation. Like I said, I don't know much about Mudrakers... but I know someone who might. Let me go and grab Fishlegs."

Skulder nodded. "Alright. I'll be waiting for you right here."

Luckily, I found Fishlegs unocuppied on Dragon's Edge. He listened intently as I explained the situation to him.

"Hmm... The Mudraker hid when you drew close, even when it couldn't see you?" he said. "That's really interesting! Let me think back on the Book of Dragons' notes on that particular dragon... Ah hah! I got it!"

I grinned. "I knew I could count on you."

"The Mudraker has special sense receptors to react to vibrations! You see, different animals and dragons have evolved to react to unique senses to help them survive. The Mudraker can escape stealthy predators because of his ability to react to vibrations. Over countless generations, the Mudraker developed unique adaptations to survive in his environment, just like the Snow Wraith and the Armorwing! Your movement caused vibrations in the mud, which allowed him to sense that you were coming close."

"Oh, that makes sense. Thanks for the information!"

Fishlegs smiled. "I'd love to see this happen with my own eyes. Who knows, maybe I'll even be able to update the Book of Dragons with some new information!"

"Well, you're welcome to come along."

He nodded. "I'll meet you and the Archaeologist at the dig site!"

I arrived back on the island first, of course. I explained what Fishlegs had said to Skulder, and then we waited until we saw Fishlegs and Metalug land in front of us.

"Fishlegs!" Skulder said. "Brennda and I might need some additional back up on this little gathering. We can't figure this dragon out. Do you have a clue on how to get him out into the clearing?"

"The Mudraker can sense vibrations, right?" Fishlegs said. "It must have really connected with a sound you made. That's what made him come and see what you were doing. My hypothesis is that you made a sound at your dig site, and its vibrations alerted the Mudraker to come closer."

"That makes sense," I said.

"Let's test that hypothesis. There must be a noise that your clothes make when you move, Skulder. Can you make your clothes rustle?"

"Certainly," Skulder said. He rustled his clothes, and the Mudraker poked his head of the water. "It's working!" He turned to me. "Certain sounds will draw the Mudraker closer? Maybe the sound of Bolt's fireball will also work. After all, it's a very familiar sound to dragons. Can you tell your dragon to shoot the rock?"

I figured I had nothing to lose. However, after Bolt shot at a rock, the Mudraker retreated back into the water.

Fishlegs frowned. "The Mudraker really didn't like that noise. I bet it reminds him of predators that he might have faced in the past. He probably has some very nasty memories of that sound!"

"Can you think of anything else?" I asked Skulder.

The archaeologist appeared thoughtful. "When I excavate relics, I dig at the ground with my pickaxe. Maybe that sound was what drew him to me. I do not have it with me at the moment... Brennda can you strike that rock with your axe?"

"Sure thing." I strolled over to the rock and then withdrew my axe and swung it down hard. A lout, high pitched sound filled the campsite. Suddenly, the Mudraker shot out of the water and flew right up to Skulder.

The archaeologist appeared startled, and he gave the Mudraker a tentative smile. "You did it! Um. He looks very... big, standing next to me. I hope that I can train him."

I smiled. "I'm sure you'll do just fine."

"Well, thank you, Fishlegs and Brennda. I'll be able to do this, with your help!"

"No problem," Fishlegs said. "We'll be here when you need us."

"We'll see you later, alright?" I said.

Skulder nodded. "Yes. Later, my friend."

Fishlegs and I departed on our dragons. This time, I decided to hang back with him. "You've really done a great job teaching Skulder about dragons," Fishlegs said. "He's come such a long way!"

"I know," I said. "He just needed some positive interactions to overcome the negative ones." And I certainly had done my best to give him that. That's when I remembered Harald. A small part of me wanted to return and ask Skulder about him, but I decided against it. I already told Harald I wouldn't say anything, and I did not want to betray his trust.

Upon arriving back on the Edge, I entered the clubhouse and found Harald in the same chair I had left him. "Hey," I said, giving him a weak smile.

Harald looked up with a polite smile. "Welcome back, Brennda. Everything went well, I assume?"

"Yes. This Mudraker has been watching Skulder work, and Fishlegs and I figured out how to get him close enough so he can train him."

"Wonderful. I knew you could do it. Is that all?"

"Y-Yes." Something bothered me about the way he looked at me. He definitely had his guard up, and I hated it. I wished he could just confide in me. _He_ was the one who could not stop bugging me at first, and now that _I_ wanted to get close to him... "I didn't mention you, if that's what you're worried about."

"Good." His eyes flickered to his book.

I bit back my frustration. What was wrong with him? Clearly, he did not want to talk, and I had the feeling pushing him would not help. I needed to try a different approach. Maybe the same one he had used on me. "Hey, Harald? I've been thinking... That adventure we went on the other day was really fun, and I thought I might take you on one."

Harald looked at me in curiosity, his mask temporarily slipping. "I'm listening."

"There's this really cool island I thought I could show you. It's pretty far up north, so Bolt can take us. We can go tomorrow if you're up for it."

Relief filled me when he gave me a genuine smile. "I'm always up for adventure, Brennda."

I smiled back at him. "I thought you would say that."

I concluded it was only the topic of Skulder that had him acting funny. While I still wanted to know the details, I could wait until a later date to bring it up again. For now, there were better ways to get to know him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm going to go ahead and turn this story into four parts. I'll update the title and description to reflect this after I post the next chapter.


	16. Chapter 16

"_Learning how to smile again_  
_Free to show my heart_  
_Knowing I can face the things_  
_That used to seem too hard_

_I look inside your eyes and see_   
_A different part of me_   
_What I didn't know I want in life_   
_You're everything I need_

_So many things I've been missing_  
_Not watching but, that was all in the past_" 

\- "Feels Like Home" by Melissa Etheridge and Josh Kelley

Chapter 16

"This is Icestorm Island!" I declared. Bolt flew to the ice-covered island with Harald and me on his back. Leopold flew beside him.

"It looks... frozen," Harald said skeptically. "Is there a reason you asked me to bring lighter clothes under my winter gear?"

I looked back at him and grinned. "You'll see." I had Bolt land at the campsite. I could not see anyone around, and I assumed it was because the excitement surrounding the island had died off after the Berserker attack. Still, there might be a few students in the dorms.

"You said this is an extension of your school?" Harald said as he dismounted. Leopold landed in the snow and started sniffing around.

"That's right," I said. "I doubt anyone will bother us, though. Let me give you the grand tour."

I started with the campsite, purposefully leaving the ice caves for later. Then we took off on Bolt again so I could show him the entire island. On the way back around, I decided to stop at Mildew's hut. I had not seem in ages, and I felt guilty about never checking to see how he made out after the Berserker attack.

"Brennda!" Mildew said in surprise. He stood outside his home beside his sheep, Fungus. "You came back. But did you have to bring the lizard with you?"

"I couldn't have gotten here without him," I said, patting Bolt's snout.

"He is quite useful," Harald added.

Mildew frowned. "Not you too." His eyes flickered to Leopold as he landed on Harald's shoulder. "At least you only have a little one with you."

"My name is Harald Forkbeard, and this is Leopold."

"Forkbeard? Why does that name sound familiar?" He squinted his eyes at him.

"Perhaps you have heard of one of my grand adventures."

"Perhaps..."

"Anyway, Mildew," I said, "I just wanted to stop by to see how you're doing."

"I'm doing just fine," said Mildew. "If that's all, you can leave me in peace."

Same old Mildew. "Alright. Have a nice day."

"Pleasant fellow," Harald said once we were in the air.

"He's a handful," I said.

"Now I see what Hiccup meant when he said you're polite to those you don't like."

"Yeah, he figured me out." We landed back at the campsite. Now I turned to the ice caves. "There's one last place I want to show you. But be warned: it's _very_ cold inside."

Harald raised his eyebrow. "Are you trying to freeze me to death?"

I smirked. "It'll be worth it. Just trust me."

He shook his head and followed me into the ice caves. Almost immediately, an adult Groncicle bounded up to us.

"Hey, Glacier!" I said. I reached out my hand to rub his head. I turned to Harald with a smile. "This guy is the reason I discovered Icestorm Island. I met him just after he hatched from an egg! He visits the school often to see me."

"Well, he seems like a friendly fellow," Harald said. "Is he as cold as he looks?"

"Why don't you find out yourself?"

Harald appeared uncertain at first, but then slipped off his glove and slowly brought his hand to the Groncicle. Glacier lowered his head, allowing Harald to rub his neck.

I smiled at the sight. "See? He likes you."

"Yes, very nice." He withdrew his hand. "Is this all you wanted to show me?"

I shook my head. "No, there's more. Let's make one more detour first." I led the way through the tunnels and right to the excavation site. "This is the ancient city Skulder and I discovered awhile back."

Harald looked around in mild interest. I was unsure if this was his thing, but I wanted to share it with him anyway. I brought him around and showed him all the aspects of the city. He seemed especially interested in the treasure room.

"Sorry the artifacts aren't here anymore," I said. "We brought them to Berk to keep them safe from the Berserkers."

"Pity," Harald said.

Before we left, we stopped by the ship and the closed off exit. "This is the only clue we have as to what happened to the Vikings who lived here. If they were voyagers, they may have left."

"They died," Harald said bluntly, his eyes narrowed at the ship.

I frowned. "Isn't that kind of morbid?" I ignored the fact that had been my first thought as well.

"They would not have left their treasure behind. Clearly, there was some sort of tragedy."

"Well, some of them may have escaped and settled somewhere else."

Harald looked at me with a half-smile. "That's a positive way to look at it."

I shrugged. "It makes me feel better. Alright, mister doom and gloom, are you ready for what I have to show you?"

"I've been ready, mate. Lead on!"

Finally, we arrived at the largest cave: the hidden tropical oasis. We stood on the edge of the cliff, looking down. I grinned as I saw Harald's eyes go wide as he took in the sight.

"Amazing, isn't it?" I said.

"This is... incredible! And it's warm too. Who would have thought this would be hidden on such a cold island?"

"See? I know what I'm doing." I placed my shield and sword on the ground and slipped off my winter clothes, leaving light summer clothes underneath. I also ditched my boots. Once Harald we let did the same, Bolt take us down to the floor of the cave.

"This place makes for a nice little winter vacation," Harald said.

"And it gets better!" I approached a large pool of water and stepped in. "Come on! This is even more amazing than Fishleg's hot tub!"

Seeming curious, Harald got in after me. His face immediately lit up. "Oh, a hot spring! How wonderful." He pulled his shirt over his head and tossed it on a rock. He smirked when he caught me staring at his bare chest. "Like what you see?"

I blushed and looked away. "No. I mean, I just-"

Harald chuckled. "It's okay to admit it."

I said nothing. I sunk into the water until I was sitting and focused on the feeling of heat seeping into me. When I looked back at Harald, I found him sitting in the water and gazing at me with a tranquil expression. Bolt and Leopold lay on the rocks next to the hot spring with their eyes closed.

"Brennda, come here," Harald said.

I blinked. "What?"

"I said come here." He held out his hand to me, a gentle smile on his face.

Something compelled me to listen to him. I slid through the water, and when I grabbed his hand, he pulled me right up to his chest, settling me on his lap. I gasp in surprise. "Harald!"

He grinned down at me. "Calm down, love. Hot springs are relaxing. Enjoy the moment."

"B-But-"

"I know you like it because you're perfectly capable of defending yourself."

He was right, of course. I would have _never_ let anyone else get this close to me. I hated to admit that I liked it. "Muttonhead," I muttered. He wrapped his arms around me so I could not escape. My will to resit evaded me, so I rested my head against his chest and relaxed into his chest.

Everything felt so good. The hot water, Harald's body against mine, his heartbeat... Why did he make me feel this way? And why was I slowly not caring about the answer? I shifted my arms and brought them around his back. My hand stilled when it touched something rough just above his shoulder blade. "What's this?"

An uneasy look came to Harald's eyes. "It's not important."

I stared up at him, imploring him. "Try me."

He sighed. "Fine." I backed away from him when he started to stand up. He turned around revealing his back. I bit back a gasp as I took in the scar that ran from the top left corner of his left shoulder blade to the bottom left corner of his right shoulder blade.

I swallowed hard. "How-?"

"My father," he said in a dark voice. "Need I say more?"

"That's horrible!" I moved in closer to him though he still had his back to him. "Harald... I'm sorry." I could not imagine the pain this caused him. My heart ached to do anything to comfort him.

"They say time heals all wounds, so why does the scar remain?"

His voice sounded so lost and broken that I instinctively closed the distance between us and hugged him from behind. "It's so we remember."

"But I want to forget."

"I know. There are things I want to forget too, but..." I took a deep breath. "It's important to remember. All of our experiences, good and bad, have made us who we are. Our memories can teach us lessons if we allow them too."

"This one is certainly taking its time."

I said nothing as I stood there with my cheek against his back. I had not meant for our day to take such a dark turn. I needed to turn this around somehow. I pulled back and examined the scar. Then I lifted my hand and tentatively started to trace the scar with my finger. I froze when he took in a sharp breath. "Do you want me to stop?"

"No," he said, his voice low and raspy. "Please don't."

I smiled. Mood successfully changed. He shivered at my touch as I trailed my hand along the length on the scar. I paused at the end, considering his reaction. It suddenly occurred to me that, if my body betrayed me, his would as well. Feeling bold, I brought my face close to his back and kissed the top of the scar.

Harald's whole body shuddered. "Brennda..." he groaned.

I smiled against his skin. I liked that reaction. I liked being the one in control for once. "You are perfectly capable of defending yourself." When he did not respond, I continued to kiss down his back along his scar. I knew I would pay for this later, but I was enjoying myself too much to care.

When my lips left his back, he spun around and captured me in his arms. With a start, my hands rested on his chest. "Do you have any idea what you do to me?" he said in a husky voice. The desire in his eyes stirred something inside me.

"I'm beginning to," I whispered. All this time I thought he simply enjoyed teasing me and stringing me along. And maybe part of him did, but now I could tell there was a big part of it that was just a front. This was another area where his over-confidence masked his vulnerability. Perhaps ironically, that made me more willing to open up to him.

The heat from the water and our close contact finally got to me, making me dizzy. "We should probably get out of here before we get too lightheaded."

Disappointment flashed in his eyes, but he replaced it with a smile. "Right. We do not need any accidents where no one can find us in the middle of nowhere." He dropped his arms, and I stepped away from him.

I gave him a small smile in return. "Exactly. We shouldn't go back out there in our wet clothes. so why don't we walk around and enjoy the scenery until we dry off."

"Sounds like a plan."

He followed me out of the hot spring. When I started off in a random beside me, he took my hand in his and interlocked our fingers. I simply smiled at him and enjoyed the moment.

***

The end of the day seemed to arrive all too quickly. After spending hours in the tropical oasis, Harald and I finally left through the ice caves. We fished up arctic char for dinner and warmed ourselves by a campfire. There was still one last thing I wanted to show him, but we had to wait until the stars came out.

While our dragons plays in the snow, we walked along the edge of the island. "Brennda, I've been wondering," Harald said after minutes of silence. "You are a brilliant young woman. Have none of the dragon rider boys caught your interest?"

The question caught me off guard, and I nearly tripped over my boots. "W-What kind of question is that?"

"Oh, I am sure it is their fault," Harald continued, ignoring my awkwardness. "Not everyone can recognize a treasure that is right before him."

I gaped at him. What exactly was he getting at? There was no obvious teasing in his tone or expression, and yet he had to have a hidden motive. Regardless, I saw no harm in answering honestly. "It's... not like that. They're all just friends. I've never considered them that way."

"But could you in the future?" He stopped walking and turned to face me, appearing dead serious.

"Well..." I tried to think really hard about the question. It was probably good for me to know as well. "Hiccup is great, but our relationship just isn't like that. Besides, he's obviously in love with Astrid and she with him - even if they both deny it. Then Fishlegs... just isn't my type. He's more Heather's type, actually."

Harald raised his eyebrows. "Oh? And what is your type?"

I rolled my eyes. "Wouldn't you like to know?"

He smirked. "That's why I asked."

I ignored him. "Now Snotlout... he's more like a brother to me, and I'm pretty sure he feels the same way considering I'm the only female he doesn't flirt with. We bond over battles and competition. Lastly, there's Tuffnut. He's... well, he's Tuffnut. Out of everyone, he probably has the best chance, slim as though it may be. But with him comes Ruffnut, and I don't know if I can take every day."

Harald watched me in amusement. "I'm sure you could manage."

I had enough of the interrogation. Time to turn the tables. "How about you? Do all the girls flock to you?" He was charming enough. I could see it happening.

He chuckled. "Of course. But all the traveling makes it hard to get to know any one of them really well."

I ignored my relief and nodded. "Makes sense." I paused. A wicked idea occurred to me. I wondered how _he_ would deal with a little teasing. "If you're looking, I know a girl who would love to have you."

His eyebrows lifted. "And who would that be?"

I grinned. "Well... I hear Ruffnut is looking to settle down."

A stunned expression crossed his face. "Ruffnut?"

I smirked. "That's right. If anyone can handle her, I know you can. Of course, with her comes Tuffnut. I suppose for your sake I can settle and pair up with him." He continued to stare at me. "The four of us could live together, or if you want, we could set off on a ship and explore the sea. Doesn't that sound grand?"

Harald finally seemed to snap out of it, and he frowned. "I would prefer if it was the two of us."

I made a thoughtful look. "I don't know if I can swing that, but I can try and hold Tuff back as you and Ruff run off together."

Harald glared at me. "That is quite enough. You're going to get it now." He bent down and scooped snow into his hand.

Knowing what he was planning, I laughed and started to run. I dodged the snow that he threw at me. I darted to the left, running into the open. When I looked over my shoulder, I tripped on something and fell into the snow. I rolled over onto my back, but before I could get up, Harald was on top of me, pinning my arms to the ground.

"If you want to tease me, you have to accept the consequences," he said in a husky voice, his breath on my cheek.

The look in his eyes sent a thrill down my spine. "What-"

He moved his face even closer to mine, and then he kissed me. It was warm and sweet and over all too soon. "You're the only one I want," he breathed.

I gazed into his shining emerald eyes, unable to formulate a response. He smirked and got off me. I felt dizzy as I rose to my feet.

"The stars are out," he said, looking at the sky. "What did you want to show me?"

"Oh, uh... We'll need Bolt for that." I scurried past him so he could not see the heat rising to my face or somehow hear my pounding heart.

Bolt eagerly bounded over to us once we were in sight. My mind soon focused on the task at hand, and I grinned in anticipation. Harald and I mounted the dragon, and then we were in the sky.

"Are we watching the stars?" Harald asked.

"Nope," I said. "Better." Bolt took us up higher and higher. Leopold flew by his side, curious to see as well. Finally, shimmering green lights came into view. I grinned and pointed at them. "The sky is on fire."

"Oh! The Northern Lights."

Bolt flew in close. Soon, the colors danced all around us. We flew straight into the buffs of light. Bolt tried to bite them with his teeth, and Leopold followed suit.

"What do you think?" I said.

"I have seen the Northern Lights before, but never like this. It's marvelous!"

I grinned. "Isn't it the most beautiful thing you have ever seen?"

"Yes, it is."

Something about his gentle tone had me turning my head to look back at him. My heart leapt in my chest when I saw him looking right at _me_. It was that adoring look that made me want to gaze into his eyes forever.

I suddenly believed his earlier confession, and it gave me the courage to act. I held onto Bolt's harness firmly with my right hand while I slowly lifted my left hand and placed it on the back of Harald's head. I gently pulled him closer to me until our lips touched. He responded right away, kissing me back with what seemed like pent-up passion. I closed my eyes and melted into the moment.

When we parted, we were breathing heavily. I cupped Harald's cheek with my hand and smiled at him. "_You_ are the only one_ I_ want," I whispered.

Surprise lit his eyes, followed by joy, before confidence took over. "Good," he said just as softly, "because I am already yours." Then he kissed me again.

I eagerly accept the kiss. I did not know anything could feel so wonderful. Everything about him drew me in, and I never wanted this moment to end. Even if we had to part tomorrow, I thought it would all be worth it just to experience this. And now that I had, I would make it last as long as possible.

A grunt from Bolt caused as to pull apart. Harald leaned his forehead against mine and gazed into my eyes. "I think the dragons are growing restless," he said.

"We should head home," I agreed.

I reluctantly tore my eyes from his and faced straight ahead so I could steer properly. I smiled when I felt his head rest against mine. His arms around me felt almost like a hug. And as we departed Icestorm Island, I did not feel the least bit cold.

***

The peaceful slight home ended when Bolt landed near the stables at Dragon's Edge. Harald helped set him up for the night, and then he walked me to Astrid's hut.

"I had a lovely time today," Harald said, stopping in front of the door. "Thank you for taking me on an adventure."

I smiled. "Thank you for accompanying me. I think the Northern Lights were even more beautiful tonight because I shared them with you."

Harald smiled. "They definitely were." He leaned down and kissed me.

I closed my eyes and enjoyed the moment. This felt right.

He pulled back and gave me one last smile. "Good night, Brennda."

"Good night, Harald." I waited until he was out of sight and then entered the hut.

Astrid awaited me expectantly. "I'm guessing you had a good day." She smirked and gave me a knowing look.

Well, there was no denying it now considering I could not keep the goofy grin off my face. "Yes, I did. And, fine, I admit it: I like Harald. A lot. And... he likes me too."

"What happened? Did he kiss you?"

I bit my lip to hold back my smile and nodded.

Astrid clapped her hands together, a grin on her face. "Oh! Tell me everything!"

And so I did. My friend listened intently as I described the day, leaving out the more personal parts. "And this doesn't mean I regret anything, but it's kind of unfortunate that he'll have to leave eventually," I said at the end.

Astrid tapped her chin thoughtfully. "Not necessarily. I mean, sure he has to leave the Edge, but why can't he stock around these waters?"

"I... think he likes exploring too much. He never sticks around one place for long."

"Maybe he never had a reason to." She nudged my shoulder. "You should ask him to stay and see what he says."

"I don't know..." I wanted to ask him, of course. I just did not want to ruin our time together by worrying about the future. And I did not want to assume too much about his feelings for me.

"Come on, Brennda. You don't get anything by just wishing for it. You have to go after what you want!" She gave me an encouraging smile.

I took a deep breath. She was right. I was a Berserker. I was not afraid of anything. "Alright, I'll talked to him about it."

Astrid grinned. "Good! And I'll be following up, so make sure you do!"

I wished I shared her confidence. Now, if only I could find the right words...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I liked this one too. Enjoy it while you can. ;)


	17. Chapter 17

"There is no chance, no destiny, no fate, that can circumvent or hinder or control the firm resolve of a determined soul." - Ella Wheeler Wilcox

Chapter 17

My long, morning walk did nothing to center my thoughts. When I returned to the base, I found Harald was off sailing, giving me more time to think. But thinking was driving me nuts, so I took a break when Astrid and Stormfly landed by her hut.

"Hey, Astrid," I greeted her. "Have a nice flight?"

Astrid smiled at me. "You know it! During today's dragon hunter lookout patrol, Stormfly and I saw an interesting island near Glacier Island that we want to check out. It looked like there might even be dragon nests there. Come with me, Brennda. I could use the company!"

That certainly sounded better than running my thoughts into a hole. "Sure! Just let me grab Bolt."

Soon, we found ourselves hovering above an island as frozen over as Glacier Island. Hopefully it was not as dangerous. I looked around for any signs of life.

"What's going on over there?" Astrid said.

I turned to where she pointed. A group of Scuttleclaws were fighting off a Skrill. Bolt let out a low growl. He rubbed his neck soothingly. "I know, buddy."

"The Skrill must be an invasive species!" I said. "The Skrill is a much stronger dragon but the Scuttleclaws have an advantage in numbers."

"So, he's a bully," I said. Bolt growled again. "Of course, _you're_ not like them."

"Look! A single Scuttleclaw isn't strong enough to fight off the Skrill, but the Skrill can't take on all the Scuttleclaws at once! The flock of Scuttleclaws acts in sync as a defense against predators. Each dragon performs a specialized role to help its flock-mates defeat threats."

I nodded in understanding. "That's pretty cool. Do you think we should get involved?"

"It does look like these Scuttleclaws need some help. We should lead the Skrill away from the Scuttleclaw nest. First, we need to get its attention. I'll stay at low altitude. Can you fly higher to get to a vantage point?"

"Sure thing!" I said. Bolt flew up high so we had a good view of the action below. Astrid signaled me, and Bolt shot a lightning bolt at the other Skrill. At the same time Stormfly swooped down in front of him grabbing his attention. Stormfly and Astrid flew off, away from the nest, with the Skrill in hot pursuit.

"Great, just like we planned!" Astrid called out to me. "Of course, now I have an angry Skrill on my tail. Help me out!"

Bolt flew after the Skrill before I could even command him. He seemed to take offense to the other male of his species. He shot at the dragon as we got close. Thankfully, Bolt was able to duck out of the way before we were spotted. With the Skrill slowed down, Stormfly was able to dart off into a cave on the island. Bolt and I soon joined them.

"That was a close one," I said as Bolt landed beside Stormfly. I dismounted and looked around the icy cave. There were odd ice chunks scattered all over that almost seemed to be glowing. "Whoa, what is this place?"

"I don't know, but it looks amazing," Astrid said, "and it doesn't look anything like the rest of the island."

Curious, I explored every inch of the cave. I stopped when I arrived at what appeared to be a snowy nest... with an egg inside! "Astrid, look at this!"

Astrid ran up beside me and gasped. "Is that a Flightmare egg? Wow! I think we might have stumbled on a Flightmare nest. Let's go out of here before she returns and thinks we're threatening its egg. Let's get back to Dragon's Edge!"

"You don't have to tell me twice!" I said. I knew all about Flightmares and their ability to freeze you in place. That was not something I wanted to experience first-hand!

Luckily, we made it back to the Edge safe and sound. Astrid and I went over everything we discovered. Since the Scuttleclaws were the most prominent dragons on the island, we decided to name that place 'Scuttleclaw Island.'

"We need to adopt the mentality of the Scuttleclaw pack for the defense of Dragon's Edge," Astrid said. "Every one of us can't do everything. We need to specialize roles, so that we are all pitching in on different tasks to protect our base."

I nodded. "Makes sense to me."

Astrid smiled. "Thank you for your help, Brennda. I couldn't have done it without you by my side!"

I grinned. "That's what I'm here for!"

Astrid peered over the edge of her balcony. Then she glanced at me with a smirk. "Looks like Harald's back."

I flushed. "Oh, uh..."

She pushed me towards her stairs. "Go and have some fun... and then you can talk."

I swallowed hard. "R-Right." I still had no idea what I would say, but I would try.

***

I did have a nice time with Harald. Yet, it was only in the evening when we walked together along the Edge, hand-in-hand, that I finally got up the nerve to talk to him. The forest was was silent. All I could hear was my pounding heart.

"So, uh, Harald," I began without looking at him. I swallowed hard. "Do you know where you will go once you... leave here?"

He did not respond at first, and I dared not look at him. "I have an idea, yes," he said in a guarded tone.

I took a deep breath. "Somewhere... far from here?"

Harald stopped walking. He tugged my arm, forcing me to face him. "Brennda..." He tried to hide it, but I could see the pain in his eyes. "I have plans. I've had plans for a long time. I can't just change them on a whim."

I lump formed in my throat. This was exactly what I had feared. "I - I know. And I'm not asking you to, I just -" Words failed me. It was time to take a chance and just be straight with it. "I've come to care about you... a lot... and I don't want you to just leave, and... I never see you again."

"You _will_ see me again," Harald said firmly. "I just don't know... the circumstances." Sadness leaked through his tough exterior. "I'm sorry, Brennda. I care about you too. I just -" He stopped and gazed off into the distance. "I don't want to make any promises I can't keep."

I could understand that. It was better than hearing him lie to me. Still, something seemed very off. He was clearly troubled, and it had to be about something more than an uncertain future. "Harald... are you alright?"

He looked back at me with a fake smile plastered on his face. "Of course I'm alright. Why wouldn't I be?"

I gave him a skeptical look. "Come on, you can't fool me. Something is bothering you."

His smile fell. "Yes, well, that is for me to worry about."

I frowned. "Maybe I can help."

He shook his head. "No. You can't solve every problem, Brennda. Especially not this one." He let go of my hand and took a step back. His coldness hurt.

"I could try. I just want to help."

He gazed at me with a mixture of emotions in his eyes. "You can't help me with this. No one can help me." He turned around and started back down the path.

"Harald!" I called after him, my heart pounding in my chest. Why did it feel like I was already losing him? "You can trust me!"

But he said nothing as he continued to walk away from soon. Soon, I was left alone in the dark.

***

Astrid assured me that Harald's behavior had noting to do with me. I was sure she was right. I did not take it personally, but it hurt that he did not want me to help him. That night, I fell into an uneasy sleep.

After feeding Bolt the next morning, I walked out of the stables and nearly ran into Harald. "Oh!" I said. "Hey."

"Hey." His expression was guarded again, but his small smile almost seemed real. "Can we talk?"

"Of course." I walked past him and started for the trail that led into the woods. We walked in silence, and my mind buzzed with possibilities. Once we were clearly alone, I stopped and turned to face him.

"I'm sorry about last night," Harald said. I noted the sincerity on his face. "I've been wrestling with a big decision, and I took it out on you."

I smiled slightly, feeling relieved he was not mad at me. "I figured it was something like that. I'm more worried about you. I know something's wrong, and I wish you could trust me."

"It's not that I don't trust you. I just... I can't get you involved in my problems."

I took a step closer to him. "I want to help you, Harald, but I can't if you won't confide in me."

He stared at the ground for a long time. When he finally lifted his head, he had a dead-serious look on his face. "Do you believe in fate?"

I blinked. "Fate? I suppose it depends what you mean by that. I don't think everything is predetermined, if that's what you mean."

"No, I would not go that far, but... After a certain point and after we make a certain number of choices that lead us down a certain path, do you believe we are stuck on that path for life? We can have successes or failures along that path, but we can't change paths?"

I did not even have to think about this one. "No. Once you start down a path, it might be difficult to change course, but there is always away. You always have a choice. To deny that is to deny our humanity."

Harald gave me a bitter smile and glanced at the ground again. "I see."

"Do _you_ believe in that kind of fate?"

He met my steady gaze. "Yes. And we... are on different paths that should not cross. That is why I reacted the way I did last night."

I furrowed my eyebrows in confusion. "What kind of 'different paths' could we possibly be on?"

He shook his head. "I'm afraid I can't tell you that, love." He looked off to the side, seeming to gaze at something only he could see. "These past couple of weeks have been a break for me, and under normal circumstances we would not have met. There are things that you don't know about me. Things that will prevent us from being together."

Realization hit me, and I shot him a glare. "Hey, wait a second! _You _are the one who barged into my life uninvited! You can't just make me like you and then say we can't be together! It's not _fair_. You had to know this when you went after me."

Harald looked at me with a sad smile. "Yes, I know. And I'm sorry about that. I was just looking to have a good time with a new friend. I never meant for any of this to happen. I never thought it would get this far. If I had known -"

"You would have left me alone?"

He looked away again. "I'm sorry."

I took a deep breath. Despite my pain and confusion, there was one thing I knew for certain. "I'm not."

He turned to me, startled. "You're not?"

I gave him a defiant look. "No, I'm not. Even if the worst happens and we never see each other again after you leave, I won't regret a thing because these have been some of the best days of my life. I don't want to forget the time I spent with you or the way I feel. I wouldn't give this up for anything. So, don't you dare say you're sorry for liking me."

Harald closed the distance between us and placed a hand on my cheek. "I'm not sorry for liking you," he said softly. "Never think I regret the time I spent with you. You are the best thing that has ever happened to me. Never forget that."

I wrapped my arms around his neck and brought his head down until his forehead rested against mine. "Then why can't you fight for me? Fight for us?"

The pain in his eyes killed me. "I would if I thought there was a way... but I can't stay with you, and my path is not one you should walk."

"And what path is this?"

He pulled back a little, moving his hands to my hips. "I'm sorry."

My eyes flashed in frustration. "Will you quit apologizing unless you can tell me why you're sorry? What is it you don't want me to know?"

He cast his gaze to the ground. "If I told you, you wouldn't look at me the same way."

"You're wrong." I touched his cheek, causing him to look at me. "I don't care what you've done or who you think you are. Nothing can change the way I feel about you." As I said it, I knew it was true.

For the first time that day, a genuine smile crossed his lips. "Thank you, Brennda. I'm not convinced it's true, but that means the world to me."

"Then will you tell me what you're hiding?"

His sad gaze returned. He let go of me and pulled away from me. I let my arms fall uselessly atmy sides. "Our time together has been like a dream - a fantasy I don't want to end. If I tell you what I am, that dream will end, and I'm not ready for that. I want us to continue to live each day in the moment... just a little longer. Because you will soon learn the truth, and once you do, you'll wish you hadn't."

I stared at him for a long time, thinking it over. There was no way I was giving up so easily. Still, I could not let my concern for the future ruin the time we had left. And perhaps, in time, I would figure out how to convince him he was wrong. I was not letting him leave without a fight.

"Alright," I said. "For now, I'll agree to your terms. But this is _not_ over, you hear me?"

A smile flickered on his face. "I hear you loud and clear. And, believe me, I _want_ you to be right."

"Then I'll figure out how to prove it for both our sake."

Harald chuckled. "I am sure you will give it your best. If anyone can do it, I know it is you. Now, shall we go find something a little more fun to do?" He held out his hand to me.

I grinned and linked our hands together. "I'm always ready for fun!"

***

"Let me get this straight. He can't stay because he has big plans, and they do not include you?" Astrid looked at me incredulously as I told the story back in her hut. I left out the personal details, of course.

"Pretty much," I said.

Astrid rolled her eyes. "Men. Did you tell him love doesn't happen according to a plan?"

I felt myself blush. Love? "N-No. Besides, it's more complicated than that. He implied there's some big secret that would change everything if I knew."

Astrid raised her eyebrows. "A big secret? What is he, a dragon hunter?"

I flinched at the image. "No, of course not."

"I'm kidding. It's probably not that serious. Boys are so dramatic."

"Yeah." I was not so sure though. Something itched at the back of my mind, like I had clues to the puzzle that I just had to put together.

"Do you want to know what I think is going?" Astrid said, breaking me from my thoughts.

I nodded. "Yes, please."

"I think he's scared. Remember what you said during your chess game about women handling losing their man better than men losing their woman?" She smiled triumphantly. "I think you were exactly on point. I bet he _didn't_ plan to get this close to you, and now that you've bonded, he's frightened like a little kid."

I frowned as I considered the possibility. It seemed plausible enough. "So... what you're saying is... he's running away because he's scared of losing me? That makes a whole lot of sense."

Astrid shrugged. "Male logic. Leave you before you leave him, right? I doubt he's thinking of it that way though. Men have a talent for making their stupid actions look noble."

"That sounds about right." I paused. "Has Hiccup ever tried anything like this?"

"Well... When I first found him with Toothless, they were about to run off together."

My eyes widened. "Really?"

"And then when Stoick found out about Toothless and dragged him off to find the Red Death, his first instinct was to give up."

I frowned. "That doesn't sound like Hiccup."

"He's grown up a lot," Astrid agreed. "Strong emotion can cause any man to revert back to that immature behavior."

"Then what do you think I should do? Harald wants to focus on the present and enjoy our time together."

"Good. Do that. If you get even closer, it will be harder for him to leave."

"And if that doesn't work?"

Astrid clasped my shoulders and looked me straight in the eye. "Tell him straight out how you feel. And make him tell you everything. If the truth doesn't change anything, let him know it. Lay it all out on the line. Figure out what you believe and don't give in."

I took in a deep breath. "Alright. I think I can do that. Thank you, Astrid. It's nice to have someone to talk to about this."

She grinned. "That's what girlfriends are for. Good luck, Brennda. You can do it!"

"I sure hope so..."

Why did it feel like we were on the edge of a dangerous storm?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well, she's been warned...


	18. Chapter 18

"_I wish you never thought you had to go_  
_Wish you never thought you had to leave_  
_Together we can lift each other up_  
_We can build a shelter for the weak_

_No man is an island, we can be found_  
_No man is an island, let your guard down_  
_You don't have to fight me, I am for you_  
_We're not meant to live this life alone_" 

\- "No Man is an Island" by Tenth Avenue North

Chapter 18

The following morning, Harald and I hung out as usual. I was glad there seemed to be no tension between us. It was very easy to be with him... and our dragons. We were down by the beach, idling chatting and watching Bolt and Leopold run at the waves and splash each other. It was a beautiful start to a great day.

After awhile, Astrid landed in front of us on Stormfly. "Brennda, there you are!" she said.

I nodded at her. "Hey, Astrid. What's going on?"

"What did you do to Skulder?" she said.

I blinked. "What did I_ do_ to him?" I glanced at Harald, and he just shrugged.

"I spoke to him earlier today on my patrol and he sounded like he was at the end of his rope! I thought Fishlegs said you solved his problem."

"We did! We showed him how to get his little Mudraker friend to come out of the mud and say 'hello.'" I then remembered how unused to dragons he was and how much could go wrong. I hoped he was not in any sort of trouble.

"Well, whatever you did, it didn't take. Go back to Mudraker island and help him out!"

I saluted her. "Yes, ma'am." I turned to Harald to see him watching me in amusement. "I guess I'll see you later."

"I'll keep him company for you," Astrid said, moving to stand beside Harald. She smirked. "It's about time we had a... talk."

Harald did not looked phased by this in the slightest. "It certainly is." He nodded at me. "Off you go, Brennda. We'll be just fine."

Looking from him to Astrid, I was not so sure, but there was nothing to do for it. I called Bolt back to me, and then we were off to Mudraker Island. We flew straight to Skulder's camp. This time, it looked... different. Things were scattered around, and there was mud on everything.

"Hey, Skulder," I said, cautiously stepping over objects. "What's going on?"

Skulder gave me a frantic look. "We've stumbled on a whole new problem altogether, Brennda. The Mudraker is over his shyness. That is, he is comfortable most of the time. But now he seems to have a major problem with me. Look!" He swept his arm across the mess. "Little Muddie threw mud all over my camp. Why does he hate me so much, Brennda? Why?!"

I blinked. "Uh..." I caw what Astrid meant. He seemed to have lost it. I did not know how to respond, so I hung on to one word. "Muddie?"

"Oh, I named him Muddie," Skulder said in a slightly more cheerful tone. "It might not be an appropriate name for a dragon, but it seems to suit him."

"I like it."

He gave me a tentative smile. "Thank you. Will you help me clean up my camp? I need to clear the mud from my stuff."

"Of course!" While the two of us worked to clean his belongings, I thought about his problem. I certainly could see an angry dragon throwing mud everywhere. However, I did not want to jump to conclusions. "So... What was Muddie's attitude while causing trouble?"

"He was in a good mood," Skulder replied. "He looked so happy to throw mud on my stuff. He must really enjoy upsetting me.

Now finished, I washed my hands in the water. "Hmm... I think you're making a pretty big assumption there."

Skulder shook his head. "The mud is just the start of the problem, Brennda. Muddie took my pickaxe and ran off with it. I don't know why he would steal my pickaxe. Doesn't he know that I need that to continue excavating the site?"

I shrugged. "Maybe not. He is a dragon, after all."

Skulder appeared thoughtful. "I suppose... Anyway, I need my pickaxe. I've been trying to find it, but I haven't had any luck. Will you help me look for it?"

"Sure, no problem." I figured he had already thoroughly searched the campsite, so I started walking around the pond. I stopped when I noticed something in the water. The pickaxe! "Hey, Bolt, can you help me out?"

The Skrill flew to my side. I pointed out the pickaxe, and he dove in to fetch it. Then something else caught my attention out of the corner of my eye. Curious, I wandered off and bent down to examine what appeared to be a strange artifact. Ah... I thought I knew what was going on. I picked up the object and then accept the pickaxe from Bolt. I returned to Skulder with both items.

"Hey, look what I found!" I announced. He immediately brightened when I held out the objects.

"Thank you for finding my pickaxe," he said.

I handed him the artifact. "And I found this sitting out in the sun."

Skulder looked over the object and then gasped. "This is amazing, Brennda. This was excavated from the dig site beside me, I'm sure of it. It fits the style and age of the other objects from this ancient village. But who could have dug it out of the site? I am the only Viking on this island."

A smile twitched on my face. "Maybe it wasn't a Viking."

His eyes widened in understanding. "Oh, what a fool I've been! I've been thinking of the Mudraker as I would a human. He doesn't want to ruin my stuff with mud, he is just being a silly, playful dragon! He must have watched me excavate those things out of the dig site and wanted to help me out. He doesn't hate me after all!"

I nodded. "Exactly! You have to learn the language of the dragon and discover how he communicates."

"I will certainly do that, except..." A sad look crossed his face. "I need your help, Brennda! Can you help me find the Mudraker? He deserves an apology for my grumpy nature for the last few days. Perhaps we can use the sound of an axe to call him out again..."

I smiled at him. "Of course. I'm sure he'll understand." I waked over to a large rock and swung my axe at it. Like last time, the Mudraker zoomed out of the water. He stopped in front of Skulder and stared right at him.

The archaeologist gave the Mudraker a timid smile. "Thank you for your help in discovering this artificat. I am sorry I misunderstood." He lifted his hand as if to touch him but then suddenly pulled back. "Oh dear! I don't know if I'm ready for this step quite yet."

"That's alright," I said. "Just take it one step at a time. You've already come so far. I know you can do it."

"Well! I'm happy to be Muddie friend, but I don't know if I am ready to train a dragon quite yet. Maybe I will spend more time with Muddie before we take the next step together."

"That sounds like a plan to me!"

Skulder smiled. "Thank you for your help. I couldn't have done this without you. Please tell Astrid she doesn't need to worry for me anymore."

I chuckled, remembering Astrid's ferocity. "I will do so. Good luck, Skulder." With that, I was off. I found Astrid outside her hut on the Edge, and I quickly explained the situation.

Astrid was smiling at the end. "I see. It sounds like Skulder didn't know how to handle the 'overeager puppy' stage of dragon friendship. I have to admit, it took me a really long time to get used to Stormfly fetching sticks and playing with Toothless! She's so lovably goofy, my Stormfly."

I smirked. "That does sound amusing."

"Dragon training is not a simple task. I hope Skulder is ready for more troubles in the future."

"Well, I'll be there if he needs me!"

Astrid nodded. "You're a good friend, Brennda."

"Speaking of friends... how did it go with Harald?"

Astrid's smile fell, replaced by a look of frustration. "I couldn't get anything out of him. He has a way of evading my questions and turning everything around."

I had to laugh at this. "I know what you mean. It took me a_ long_ time to break through that. You weren't going to do it on your first go."

She pursed her lips. "At least you understand him. I'll leave him to you."

I grinned. "Accepted."

***

The following morning, it was my turn to patrol the surrounding islands. Bolt and I enjoyed the flight, and I realized how easy it had been to become part of the routine at Dragon's Edge. Just like Harald would eventually leave, so would I. I pushed the thoughts away. No use worrying about something I couldn't change.

I returned to the Edge and reported to Hiccup. I noticed no dragon hunter activities today. And Skulder seemed like he was holding his own with the Mudraker. That taken care off, I went off in search of something to do.

I came across Harald standing off on his own. He appeared deep in thought while Leopold looked up at him in worry from the ground. I wondered if I should disturb him or not. Then I remembered what Astrid had told me. I had to try. I took a deep breath and approached him.

"Harald?" I said tentatively. "Are you alright?"

Harald's head snapped in my direction, and surprise flashed in his eyes before he recovered. "I'm just fine, mate," he said. "Why do you ask?"

"You just seemed like you were thinking hard about something. I'm sorry if I interrupted you."

"No, it's alright. It's nothing that concerns you." He smiled, but it did not reach his eyes.

I wondered how far I could push him before he shut me out again. Well, anything was better than this polite indifference. "Just because it doesn't concern me doesn't mean I don't want to hear it." I realized how nosy that sounded, so I added quickly: "It just seems like it's bothering you, and I want to help."

His eyes softened as he gazed at me. "Thank you, but you cannot help. I... have a decision I need to make, and it's not something I'm used to."

I blinked. "You're not used to making decisions?"

"More like, I'm not used to knowing what to do. I always have a plan for everything, and I follow it perfectly. Everything happens exactly how I need it to. That's how I get what I want."

"Like a chess game?"

Harald smiled wryly. "That's one way of putting it."

I remembered how he beat me when we played. It he treated life like that, no wonder he was so confident all the time. "But something's changed."

He clasped his hands behind his back and looked off into the distance. "I thought I had accounted for everything, but... you're right. There is one thing I did not anticipate, and it has thrown me for a loop."

My heart hammered in my chest. I knew what he had to be taking about. Did that mean his feelings for me were real? Was he considering staying? I did not dare ask him directly. I thought about what Astrid had said about Harald's planning. "You know, the things that really change your life never happen based on a plan. The best things in life happen when you least expect them."

He turned his gaze on me, and his green eyes seemed to see right through me. "Of course there is a place for spontaneity... it is what living in the moment is all about. But to destroy everything-" His eyes widened as if he realized he had said too much. I saw his shields com back up before he looked away. "Never mind. It's not your fault. Not your problem."

I opened my mouth to speak, but words suddenly failed me. Clearly, this was about whatever it was he didn't want to tell me. I hated feeling helpless while he wrestled with something important. Did he expect me to just wait around until he made up his mind? At the very least, I wanted him to snap out of his morose attitude.

"Hey, guys," Snotlout said as he sauntered over to us, completely oblivious to the mood. "Are you up for some competition?"

I glanced at Harald and felt relieved to see him smirk at me. I flashed Snotlout a grin. "You're on!" 

***

We spent the day competing with Snotlout in various activities. It was actually pretty fun, and I was pleased to see Harald had lightened up. I wondered if Snotlout had noticed his mood and wanted to help out. Perhaps he was onto something. Maybe taking Harald's mind off of things could be just as effective as talking about his problems.

"That was a pretty good day," I said after we parted from Snotlout.

"Yes, he does know how to have a good time," Harald said. We walked side-by-side through the base, enjoying the evening air.

"You're feeling better then?"

Harald stopped and turned to me. "I am perfectly fine. Please do not worry about me." His smile did not match the hint of pain in his eyes.

"Harald..."

"Brennda." He took my hand in his and gazed into my eyes. "I will be leaving soon, and I want us to enjoy our last few days together. Can we do that?"

I nodded. "Of course." A few days. Perhaps it was time I came up with a plan of my own. "But that doesn't mean I'll stop asking questions."

Thankfully, he appeared amused at this instead of offended. "Your curiosity is going to get you into trouble one day."

"Or it could save me."

He chuckled. "What do you want to know know?"

"What I've always wanted to know. What is this big secret you're hiding? You're obviously not a dragon hunter." Maybe it was my limited experience with the wider world, but I found my imagination limited.

Harald smirked. "Is that the worst villain you can imagine?"

I shrugged. "Pretty much. Or they're just on my mind because of recent events."

"I see." He paused. "I think it's my turn to ask _you_ a question."

I looked over him curiously, but his face gave nothing away. "Go ahead."

"Which type of opponent would you rather face, one who is ruthless and violent or one who is cunning and intelligent?" He calmly watched me, waiting for my reaction.

I considered the question. While I may not have been in very many battles yet, I had gotten a taste for both types of villains. Plus, Hiccup had told me plenty of stories to fill in the gaps. "I think a violent opponent is easier to deal with," I said carefully. "They're simple, and you can win with overwhelming force. An intelligent opponent is much trickier and requires a long-term strategy." I thought about Hiccup's struggles in facing Viggo. "He is definitely more frustrating. Intelligent villains are the worst."

I paused and looked back at Harald. He stared at me intently, though I could not discern his emotions. "But that's not the question you asked, is it?" He said nothing, so I continued. "Despite everything I said, I would still choose the intelligent one." I grimaced at the thought. "As frustrating as it would be, I hate violence too much. Bolt and I could definitely take out a lot of opponents, but I don't like to win that way."

"Perhaps you find enjoyment in defeating someone using your mind?" Harald said.

I smiled. "Yes, there is that. I suppose you would choose the same?"

He flashed a grin back at me. "Naturally."

My mind returned to Viggo, and something prodded me to keep the conversation going. Suddenly, I saw the relevancy. "You know, there is one intelligent villain who has driven the dragon riders crazy - Hiccup especially. Viggo Grimborn, the leader of the dragon hunters."

Something flashed in Harald's eyes. but it was gone a second later. "Oh? He had trouble handling him?"

I nodded. "Yes. Viggo is an excellent long-term strategist and is always two steps ahead of us. He treats our battles like _his_ favorite game, Maces and Talons. He plays the game perfectly... but we still managed one tiny victory because of a miscalculation."

Harald lifted his eyebrows, appearing very interested now. "And what was this miscalculation?"

I smiled. "My friend Heather worked undercover with the dragon hunters. She discovered Dagur is her brother, so she joined him. But she was eventually exposed, and Viggo set up the 'game' so that she would die at the hand of her brother. The traitor always dies..." I stared at the ground, remembering everything clearly.

"But she didn't die," Harald said softly.

I lifted my head to meet his gentle gaze. "No. Viggo was certain his anger at being betrayed by his sister would lead him to kill her. He didn't realize that anger is evidence of love. You can't be betrayed by someone if you don't care about them. Dagur couldn't kill Heather because there bond had grown stronger than that, despite the lies and deception. He turned on Viggo instead, disrupting his plan. It's probably not a big deal to Viggo that one more dragon rider survived, but it did show us that he doesn't understand love. All the planning in the world doesn't matter when love is involved."

Intensity stirred in Harald's eyes. I said nothing more as I let him take it all in. Finally, the tension left his face, and he smiled. "That's a very interesting assessment and very... you."

I furrowed my eyebrows. "Thank you?"

He chuckled lightly. "It's a compliment." He paused. "Don't ever change, Brennda. You are very different from anyone I've ever met, and that is a good thing. You have many wonderful qualities that you do not need to hide."

My eyes grew wide in surprise. Where had_ that_ come from? "Um, well..." If he had been teasing, I would know how to respond, but his sincerity caught my off guard.

He merely smiled at my awkwardness. "Come on. Let's go back." He took my hand, and we started down the path together.

***

The next day, Harald and I had fun around Dragon's Edge with our dragons and the other riders. I almost forgot everything as I practiced living in the moment. It was only in the evening that reality started to set in. We took a path through the middle of the island. It led to a pond with flowers growing along the edges. It was quiet and peaceful, and we simply stood there for awhile, taking it all in.

It was only when I turned to Harald to make a comment that I realized he was gazing at me. "Wh-what are you doing?" I said, feeling a blush creep up on my cheeks.

Harald smiled. "I'm attempting to memorize you. I want to remember everything about you."

This time, I know my face heated up. "I - I'm not going anywhere." But he was. I swallowed the unsettling thought, not wanting to ruin the moment.

"I know." He moved in closer to me and lifted his hand. He brushed my hair away from my face, letting his hand rest against my cheek. "I'm sorry I have to leave. Just know I have enjoyed every moment we have spent together. Thank you for everything you've done for me. I won't forget anything."

Panic shot through my heart, and my eyes widened in worry. "You're not planning on leaving tomorrow, are you?"

He gave me a sad smile. "No, not quite yet. I simply want you to be prepared."

Something inside me snapped. I wiggled away from his touch and moved back. "No!" I said vehemently. "That's not something I can prepare for, nor should I."

Harald sighed, pain flashing in his eyes. "Brennda-"

I shook my head. "You're the one who decided this, and I don't accept it. I don't accept that we can't be together."

"Brennda, I told you-"

"We're on two different paths, I know. And I told _you_ I don't believe in that type of fate." I glared at him defiantly. "Maybe you do have to leave Dragon's Edge, but we'll find a way back to each other. And if you run away because you're afraid of feeling something _real_, I'll chase after you. I'll find you again and again until you _stay_ with me. I don't care about what fate has to say about it."

Harald took a step towards me, but I moved back. He his his emotions well, though frustration was apparent in his expression. "You don't think I want to believe that? You think I want to leave? I accept reality, Brennda."

"How about this reality? If you thought we could have an amazing time together and then just leave it behind because we were 'enjoying the moment,' you chose the wrong girl. Every second we spend together gives me _more_ reason to not let you go. All you've really done by making me focus on the present is give me the strength and determination to fight for the _future_. I am a _Berserker_. I am not just going to give up on something I want so easily. I will find a way. If I have to rearrange our fates by forcefully pulling our incompatible paths together, then so be it!"

The frustration vanished from Harald's face, replaced by - shock? wonder? amazement? "You - Why? You do not need to go through all this trouble for me. You will soon forget all about me. You'll find someone better."

The fire inside me stilled as I gazed into his eyes, finally recognizing anxiety in them. So, that was it. I took a deep breath and let it out slowly. "No, Harald," I said firmly. "I won't. I'm not the only one who hides. You play a role too, but I know who you are now. Maybe you can't see it, but you're_ good_. You drive me crazy, but I _like_ it. I don't want to live without you now that I know what it's like to have you here. I don't want someone 'better.' I want _you_. I love _you_."

He moved in quickly, and suddenly his lips were on mine. I eagerly kissed him back his intense and hurried pace. His arms snaked around my waist, and he pulled me up against his chest. I rested one hand on the back of his neck while the other played with his hair. I closed my eyes and melted into the moment. I did not want to forget anything either. I wanted to remember this moment always so it would give me strength if I ever felt like giving up.

We were out of breath when we parted. Harald leaned his forehead against mine, his eyes still blazing with passion. "You..." he whispered. "You make me want to believe."

I smiled, for I knew exactly what he meant. "Then let yourself believe. In me. In you. In us."

Harald lifted his head, and then he pulled me to him again, letting my head rest against his chest. I closed my eyes as we held each other. I took in everything: his scent, his heartbeat, the feel of his arms around me. It all felt _right_. How could fate deny us this?

"If I see a way... I'll try," he said, causing my heart to flutter with hope. "I won't make any promises, but... I'll try."

I smiled even though he could not see. That was all I needed.


	19. Chapter 19

"_I want to hide the truth_  
_I want to shelter you_  
_But with the beast inside_  
_There's nowhere we can hide_

_No matter what we breed_  
_We still are made of greed_  
_This is my kingdom come_  
_This is my kingdom come_" 

\- "Demons" by Imagine Dragons

Chapter 19

I spent the morning going over my conversation with Harald in my head while I wandered around the island. Had I actually confessed that I loved him? I had not meant for it to come out. It was not something I had even admitted to myself. But I did not regret it. He needed to know the truth. I just wished I knew what was going on in his head.

I returned to the base just in time to greet Hiccup as he landed after his patrol. Bolt bounded over to us to say hello to Toothless.

"Hey Brennda," Hiccup said. "I just say Skulder, and he asked me to tell you to stop by Mudraker Island. I'm not sure what it's about, but he said that only you would be able to help him."

"Oh, I have an idea," I said.

"I hope you aren't secretly training cool dragons without me!" He laughed.

I smirked. "We've been up to something alright." I turned to Bolt. "I better be off."

"Good luck!" Hiccup called as I took to the air.

In no time at all, I landed at Skulder's camp. This time, he did seem in better spirits, and there was little mess. I noticed The Mudraker was out of the water, sniffing curiously at the archaeologist's belongings.

"Hello Skulder," I said. "How are you going?"

"Fine, fine," Skulder said. "Thank you for stopping by."

"How's Muddie?"

Skulder glanced at the Mudraker. "He's is still being playful. He hasn't calmed down at all, even though I've been throwing sticks for him. His latest 'fun' stunt is to grab my shoes and toss them in the mud. I've lost quite a few tools to these deep muddy swamps." He shook his head in dismay.

I gave him a sympathetic smile. "I'm sorry about that. These things can take time."

"I know, but I wonder if the dragon just has too much energy and is falling into mischief because he has no one else to play with. To appropriate an old phrase, idle 'claws' are Loki's playthings." He sighed. "I don't know. Perhaps this is the price of having the Mudraker as a friend."

"If he really is all alone, perhaps he's overly eager now that he has you. Though, that doesn't help you solve the problem."

Skulder nodded. "I'm too embarrassed to bother Hiccup or Astrid with this. Would you go to the School and ask Heather for her advice? She generally has some good ideas."

"Sure. Wait right here!"

I had not been back to the School for awhile, and it was good to see my friend again. Heather listened attentively as I explained the situation.

"What an interesting dilemma!" she said. "Some dragons are more mischievous than others. Perhaps Skulder made a cheeky friend. That said, it's worth testing his hypothesis to see if having a friend will make the Mudraker calm down!"

"It couldn't hurt," I said. "What kind of dragon do you think would make a good friend for him?"

Heather appeared thoughtful. "Thunderdrums are Tidal Class dragons that also rely on sonic-based fireballs. Most dragons generate kinetic energy in the form of heat, but both the Mudraker and the Thunderdrum generate energy in the form of sound waves. Maybe the two dragons would be good friends because they're similar dragons!"

I grinned. "That makes sense!"

"Thornado helped us against the Death Song. I bet he would be willing to help us again. I saw him at the ship graveyard recently. You should try to find him there."

I nodded. "Thanks for the help, Heather!"

It was only after I left that I wondered if it had been rude for me to depart so abruptly. Then again, Skulder was counting on me to return quickly. I would see Heather again soon enough.

Once at the ship graveyard, I searched hard for the Thunderdrum. I could not find Thornado, but I did spot Bing, Bam, and Boom hanging out on a large rock. Luckily, they remembered me from our last adventure, and when Bolt took off, they flew behind us.

We all landed at camp on Mudraker Island. I could not spot Skulder, but Muddie was already eyeing the Thunderdrums curiously. "Hey, buddy," I said. "I brought you some new friends." The babies ran over to the Mudraker, who appeared pleased with the company.

I smiled. Mission accomplished. I then set off in search of Skulder. I found him not too far from camp. "Hey!" I greeted him. "I brought Muddie some friends!"

Skulder brightened at the news. "Really? How wonderful! I'm sure Muddie will be calmer now that he can expend some of his energy with playmates."

"Hopefully."

Suddenly, a loud crash rang throughout the island, coming from the camp. Skulder and I exchanged a worried glance.

"Oh dear," Skulder said. "Did you hear that? Can you go and find out what it could be? I have a suspicion it might not be the best news..."

I ran straight for the camp. I skidded to a halt when I saw Bing, Bam, and Boom running around like crazy, causing a ruckus. Muddie seemed pleased while Bolt snapped at the babies.

"Guys, calm down!" I cried. I ran around to the little dragons and pet them to try to make them stop. If they kept this up, they would break all of Skulder's stuff!

But it was no use. The babies were too happy to find a new friend, and their happiness _increased_ their energy levels. Had I just made things worse for Skulder? In dismay, I turned around to find Skulder standing there

"Is everything alright?" he asked, taking in my dejected expression.

I shook my head. "Muddie's new friends are even more reckless than he is. I'm sorry."

But Skulder merely smiled. "Don't be. It's nice and lively to have these dragons here! Sure, they might make things... interesting, but I'm sure they'll get tired of creating a ruckus after a little while. After all, they're just baby dragons, and all babies tend to get tired after a while! It's very nice to see Muddie so happy. Thank you, Brennda."

My eyes widened in surprise. "Y-You're welcome!" I thought for sure he would be angry with the situation. Not too long ago he was ready to give up on the Mudraker for a similar reason. "You know, you're really starting to understand dragons."

"You think so? That's good to hear. I've found it's better to not get too worked up about the little things."

I smiled. "Yeah, that's generally a good idea."

"Say, I've been so busy bothering you with my problems that I haven't stopped to ask how you're doing. I hear you've been helping out around Dragon's Edge. How are things? Is there anything I can help with?"

"N-No!" I said a bit too quickly. "Everything is great. We're just preparing in case the dragon hunters attack, that's all." I chuckled nervously. The last thing I needed was to tell him my personal problems. Not to mention, I still did not know the story behind his alleged history with Harald, and now did not seem like the best time to bring it up.

Skulder frowned. "Are you sure? You seem a bit... on edge."

I took a deep breath to calm myself. "I'm fine. I promised."

He eyed me skeptically. "If you're sure... I'll let you get back now. But if you do ever need help with anything, I'm right here."

I smiled slightly. "Thanks, Skulder. I do appreciate it." Hopefully, I could figure out my own problems long before that time came.

***

A rapping sound woke me. I blinked my eyes open and slipped out of the bed I shared with Astrid. Thankfully, she was fast asleep. I padded over to the window and opened it. A second later, I had a Terrible Terror in my face.

"Leopold," I groaned. I grabbed hold of the dragon and held him away from me. "What is it?"

Leopold chirped. He wiggled out of my grasp and sailed to the floor. I followed him as he bounded to the door of the hut. Was something wrong with Harald? I looked back at Astrid to make sure she was still asleep and then quietly slipped outside.

I found Harald standing outside the clubhouse, staring off into the distance with a pained look on his face. I took a deep breath and approached. "Harald?" I said softly. "Are you alright?"

"No." His voice came out hoarse, and for once, he did not try to conceal his emotions. He turned his gaze on me, letting me see the sorrow in his eyes. "I'm sorry I woke you."

My heart lurched. "It's fine. What's wrong? Is there something I can do to help?"

"You can't - Just... stay with me. I don't want to be alone."

I immediately moved in and hugged him. He wrapped his arms around me tightly as if he never wanted to let go. "I'll never leave you, Harald. I'll always be here."

He said nothing, but his warm embrace told me everything I needed to know. He was finally letting me comfort him, and that was all I needed. We stayed like that for a long time before the cold finally got to me.

"Let's go inside," I whispered, pulling away to look at him. "We'll freeze out here."

He nodded.

I took his hand and led him into the clubhouse where he had been staying. Leopold bounded in behind us. Then we laid down together on the spare bed. I thought nothing of my actions except my need to make him feel better. I curled around him and stroked his hair until he fell asleep. Then I drifted off too.

In the morning, I had another abrupt awakening. This time, it was because all the riders had suddenly poured into the clubhouse, letting the light stream in. I groaned and covered my face with my arm.

"Thank Thor! She's alive!" someone shouted.

"Shut up, Snotlout," I said. "Of course I'm alive."

"I told him we'd find you here," Astrid said with a hint of teasing in her voice.

Suddenly, everything snapped into place. I bolted up, but Harald's arm around me pulled me back down. We had fallen asleep here together. No wonder everyone had shown up. This looked bad. I tired to pull away, but Harald only held onto me tighter. I glared at him. "Let go of me!"

"Calm down," Harald mumbled, his eyes still closed. "It's too early to be shouting."

"It looks like you two had fun last night," Ruffnut said with a smirk.

I groaned. "They're getting the wrong idea!"

"Let them," Harald said.

"Try again." I elbowed him in the stomach. His eyes flew open, and he finally let go. I stood up with a huff.

"I get it. You're not a morning person."

I rolled my eyes. "That is so not the problem." I took in everyone staring at me with odd expressionz. I suddenly felt very uncomfortable. "I, uh, got to go!" I ran out of there as fast as I could. Thankfully, no one followed me.

A little while later, Astrid entered her hut where I had been hiding. "Hi there," she said with a small smile. "You feeling better?"

I looked up from her bed and nodded. "Yeah. I just didn't like all the attention."

"I can understand that." She sat on the bed next to me. "So, what _were _you doing last night?"

I stared at my hands. "Leopold woke me up and brought me to Harald. He seemed... distressed about something. I couldn't leave him alone. All I did was comfort him."

"Do you know what's wrong?" Concern laced Astrid's voice.

"I assume it's the same thing that's always been bothering him. It has to do with whatever it is he's hiding - the reason he thinks he has to leave."

"He still won't tell you anything?"

I shook my head. "At this point, I'm afraid to know."

Astrid placed a hand on my shoulder. "Whatever it is, you can handle it. You're strong. And if you need me, I'm here for you. We all are."

I gave her a small smile. "Thanks, Astrid. That means a lot to me." And hopefully, it would never come to that.

***

The day flew by. That evening, Harald and I went off together to talk about all sorts of random things. When they returned to the base, they found everyone else had gone to bed. Harald walked me to Astrid's hut, stopping just outside.

"Thank you for another wonderful day," he said. "I'm afraid after I take a test run tomorrow, it may be time for me to leave."

The smile faded from my face, and my heart squeezed. "And you will tell me everything? Whatever it is you've been hiding?"

He looked away. "You will come to learn everything. But not now."

A flare of anger arose in my chest. "You won't tell me now so I won't stop you. So I can't prove it doesn't matter."

Harald met my fierce gaze with a wry smile. "No, love, I am doing this for your sake. The truth will hurt you, and I'm trying to spare you."

I shook my head stubbornly. "Don't spare me. I want to help you. Whatever demons you have, I'll fight them with you!"

"And if they're too much for you?"

"They won't be. Not if we work together. "I believe in you, Harald."

Something flashed in his eyes. Then the tension left his face, and he gazed at me with adoring eyes and a gentle smile. He stepped closer to me until our faces nearly touched. "And I love you, Brennda."

Caught completely off guard, I could only gape at him. "W-What?" Did I hear him right? I confessed I loved him not too long ago, but he did not say it in return.

"Listen... There may come a time when you doubt everything I have said, but..." He brushed his hand across my cheek. "I love you, and _that_ is the absolute truth."

My heart squeezed, but this time it was with joy as well as pain. How could he say this and still want to leave? Tears pricked my eyes. "I love you too."

Sadness tinged his smile at my words. "I wish that was enough."

"It could be."

"I will see you tomorrow." He turned and took a step away from me. I reached out and grabbed his arm. This felt too much like goodbye, and I was not ready to let him go. He did not resist as I pulled him back to me. I brought my other hand to the back of his neck and pushed his head down so I could kiss him.

Harald immediately wrapped his arms around me and kissed me back with such passion that it seemed like he thought it was the last time. I would make sure it wasn't, but I still returned his fervor.

He pulled back first. Then he cupped my face and kissed me once more. "Good night, Brennda," he whispered.

I felt dizzy from the kiss, and this time I let him leave. "Good night, Harald."

I ignored the buzzing in my mind that wanted me to piece something together. Something about that encounter bugged me, but I did not want to think about it. After all, it sounded like tomorrow I would learn the truth. Would everything really change?

Regardless, I remembered one lesson my parents taught me: love never dies.

***

Harald stared out at the black ocean from the edge of the base with a coldness in his eyes that Brennda would not recognize. The chilly air felt good. It helped him think, and he needed to do a lot of thinking. Tomorrow was the day. It had to be. He had to get out of there before he did something incredibly... stupid.

Leopold chirped at him from the ground.

Harald's eyes flickered down, and for a second, his expression softened. "We have to leave," he said firmly as if answering an unspoken objection from the Terrible Terror. "It's for the best."

Leopold gave him a dubious look and then nudged his leg with his snout.

Harald sighed. "I know you like her, but she's not part of the plan. Where we go, she cannot follow."

The little dragon let out an angry chirp.

"It was nice to dream for awhile, but it's time to wake up and face reality."

He swore Leopold glared at him. He groaned and turned away. He really had been there too long. Now he was talking to a dragon like he could answer him back! Then again, the little guy obviously understood what he was saying. Harald remembered what Hiccup told him when he first arrived. Dragons were more intelligent than mere pets. Perhaps there was something to that.

Either way, Leopold appeared uninterested in talking anymore. He turned around and stuck his head in the air as if angry at his master. Harald could not help but smirk in amusement. It seemed Brennda's attitude had rubbed off on him.

A sound caught his attention. Returning his gaze to the sky, he saw he had been wrong about everyone calling it a night. Hiccup spotted him and landed Toothless next to him. Harald immediately plastered on the smile that fooled everyone... except Brennda. "Good evening, Hiccup," he said cheerfully.

Hiccup dismounted and nodded at him. "Evening, Harald. What are you doing up?"

Harald motioned to the sky. "Observing the stars. Same as you, I suspect."

Hiccup smiled. "It is beautiful up there. Don't stay out too late."

"I will retire shortly."

Hiccup nodded. "Good night, Harald." As he passed Leopold, he smiled down at the Terrible Terror. "You too, Leopold." He stopped and suddenly looked back at Harald. "By the way... thank you for being such a great friend to Brennda. I have never seen her so happy around anyone. She's always been cautious about making friends..."

"No need to thank me," Harald said. "She has been as much a help to me as I have to her."

Hiccup smiled. "I know. I hope it always stays that way."

"Me too, Hiccup. Good night."

"Good night."

Harald waited until the Viking and Night Fury were out of sight before letting in the flood of thoughts and emotions. He had to sort through it all now, for tomorrow required absolute control. No more playing around.

It should have been easy. He was the master of deception. He could even fool himself into believing his own lies. And that was precisely what had gotten him into trouble. He let himself believe for awhile that he could do whatever he wanted with Brennda with no repercussions on his part. He had to make sure his mistake would not undo everything he had worked so hard for.

Even if he wanted to switch plans - which, he didn't - he still could not stay. He could not keep pretending he was someone else, someone without _his_ past... and his future. He had made too many enemies, a few of which were Brennda's friends. She would find out the truth eventually, and then it would be all over and he would have nothing to show for it. He could not run from who he was or the path he had chosen.

The path of a pirate.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> In case you didn't catch on, third person will be in Harald's POV (and maybe occasionally another character's). Usually I don't add multiple POVs when writing in first person, but I think in this case it adds something to the story. Let me know if you like it, and I'll add in some more when I can. As you can see, things are about to get really interesting here. Be prepared!


	20. Chapter 20

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Wow, that became a very long chapter. It did not feel right to split it up, though. So, what do you think about Harald? Was there any truth to anything he said and did? Does it matter?

"_Now I know you're not a fairy tale  
__And dreams were meant for sleeping  
__And wishes on a star  
__Just don't come true_

_'Cause now even I can tell  
That I confused my feelings with the truth  
Because I liked the view  
__When there was me and you_" 

\- "When There Was Me and You" by Vanessa Hudgens

Chapter 20

Morning arrived with a feeling of trepidation, and my mind whirled with the possibilities of everything that could go wrong. I thought Harald had taught me not to worry so much, but now _he_ was the cause of my anxiety. Not that it was entirely his fault.

I found him gone and his boat missing. I remembered he said he wanted to test out his upgrades today, so I assured myself he would be back soon. I fetched Bolt and took a walk with him around the island.

When I returned to the base, Harald immediately met me with a distressed look. "Brennda!" he exclaimed. "I'm glad I caught you. Dragons need your help!"

My eyes widened in shock. Out of everything, _this_ I had not expected. "What happened?"

"I'll explain when we reached the others. I asked them to meet in front of the stables. Come on!"

He did not have to ask me twice. We jogged to the stables where, sure enough, the riders were gathered with their dragons.

"Glad you're here, Brennda," Hiccup said. "What's this about, Harald?"

"I was exploring the seas on my ship when I spotted the dragon hunters in action," Harald said. "Those cowards have set up camp at Hobblegrunt Island once more! They seem to be gathering wounded dragons on that island. It looked like the poachers were away from the base, but they could return at any moment. If you hurry, you can rescue the dragons before they get back!"

"Ugh, dragon hunters," Hiccup groaned. "They won't beat me - I mean us - again! We need to go right away and save those dragons before they return."

I nodded. "Right!"

"If time is of essence, friends, I'd only hold you back," Harald said. "I can't ride dragons like you fine lot. I should stay behind on this one."

I stared at him. Something bugged me about the way he spoke, but I could not put my finger on it. There was something... off. Yet his words themselves were completely consistent with what I knew about him. Maybe I was just being paranoid after last night.

"That makes sense," Hiccup said. "You've helped enough by finding this place, Harald. Thanks to you, we'll be able to pull one over on the dragon hunters this time!"

Harald smiled. "Well, I do what little I can to help. But what am I jabbering on for? Now hurry! Go to Hubblegrunt Island!"

While everyone mounted, I continued to watch Harald. That smile... It wasn't real. My eyebrows knit together in confusion. But I had no time to consider it. I turned to Bolt to climb on board.

"Brennda?"

He caught my wrist, and looked back to see him looking at me with a much less composed expression. His eyes bore into mind like he was trying to send a silent message. Despite the fact that her proclaimed he would be the one to leave me, his eyes seemed to beg _me _not to leave _him_. Something was very wrong.

"Be safe," he said at last. He let go of my wrist, but I still stood there staring at him.

"Brennda, aren't you coming?" Hiccup said from behind me. "We need you."

Every instinct told me I should stay with Harald... that he needed me more. But I could find no reasonable explanation for my strange feelings, and I trusted my mind above all else. So, I gave Harald a smile and then mounted my dragon. I was really losing it. Perhaps this mission would help set me straight.

We arrived at Hobblegrunt Island to find Harald's statements to be accurate. Caged dragons lay scattered around a freshly made camp. My stomach dropped as I thought about what the hunters would do to them.

"Wow, that's a lot of dragons," Hiccup said. "We have our work cut out for us. We'll need to free all these dragons before the dragon hunters return. If we're fast enough, we can avoid having to fight. Let's get to work!"

We split up to free the dragons. I used my axe to open the cage doors. The grateful dragons ran out and then flew off. Relief filled my chest as I watched them go. We did a good thing here.

"Mission accomplished," Hiccup said. "Let's regroup at Dragon's Edge and tell Harald the good news."

My previous worries disappeared as I took in the success of our actions. Bolt landed in the center of our base back at the Edge. Hiccup, Astrid, and Snotlout landed their dragons near me while Fishlegs and the twins headed off in different directions.

"Huh, where's Harald?" Snotlout said, looking around. "I wonder if he's taking a nap somewhere. Typical! I wanted to tell him how well I did on our trip and he's not even here."

"I didn't see his ship docked on our island when I flew in," Astrid said with an uneasy look. She glanced at me.

My heart dropped to my stomach as the strange feelings from earlier returned. "I - I'm sure he's around here somewhere," I said. "I'll find him."

"We'll look for him too," said Hiccup. "I hope everything's alright."

Yeah, so did I. I got back on Bolt and flew down to the docks. Sure enough, Harald's boat was missing... and didn't we have a bunch of supplies down here? Where did they go? I flew back up and landed in front of Fishlegs, who just emerged from the stables.

"Hey, Brennda," he said. "Did you take the supplies form the stables? I wanted to give Meatlug a rubdown after a hard workout, but they're not here."

My heart rate picked up. "No, I didn't. Do you know what happened to the supplies by the dock?"

Fishlegs frowned. "They're missing too? That's odd."

I pushed back the wall of anxiety that threatened to take over. I had to focus. "What about Harald? Have you seen him?"

Fishlegs shook his head. "No, I haven't. Maybe he went out to feed Leopold and just came back. Why don't you go back to the clubhouse?"

"Good idea." And so, Bolt and I took off once more. We found the twins outside the the clubhouse when we arrived. "Guys! Have you seen Harald?" My breathing became shallow, and my sense of impending doom grew stronger.

"This is travesty!" Ruff exclaimed, throwing up her arms. She looked at me and frowned. "No, I haven't seen Harald here or inside the clubhouse. Actually, it looks pretty bad in there. Looks like someone took all the furniture. Hiccup should probably look into that."

"Oh no. No, no, no.."

"That's not the travesty!" Tuff exclaimed. "SOMEONE TOOK OUR ROCKS."

I stared at him. "Rocks?"

"We were getting together an amazing collection of boulders to throw at dragon hunters, and they're all missing. Who would do such a terrible thing? Is there no justice in the world?! Someone needs to pay for this! Brennda, let's talk to Hiccup in front of his hut and see what he's going to do about this. Oh, I thought I saw Leopold there too. Maybe that would be the answer to your question."

I was gone before he finished speaking. I found Hiccup, Astrid, Snotlout, and Fishlegs gathered outside Hiccup's hut, but I passed right over them. "LEOPOLD!" The Terrible Terror raced towards the ocean. Bolt was fast, but Leopold had a head start.

Suddenly, Hiccup and Toothless were in front of me, causing Bolt to screech to a halt in midair. "Brennda, stop!" Hiccup said.

"But if I follow Leopold, he'll lead me to Harald!" All I could think about was finding him. Finding him and making him tell me the truth. I needed him to tell me this was all some horrible misunderstanding. Or a terrible prank.

Hiccup gave ma a sad look. "That's not a good idea, Brennda. We don't know what he'll do to you."

I glared at him. "He would _never_ hurt me, Hiccup!" Out of everything, _this_ I knew for certain.

Hiccup sighed. "Alright, but you can find him later. Will you come down so we can all talk about this?"

I looked out at the horizon. Leopold was too far gone by now. Wordlessly, I turned around and flew to Hiccup's hut where everyone had gathered. I looked away from everyone and focused on controlling my breathing to prevent a panic attack.

"So, what's the verdict?" Tuff said.

"This is bad," Hiccup said. "Oh, this is very, very bad. Harald took everything. Harald _stole_ everything. He took the traps that we were preparing to defend against dragon hunters... he also picked the lock and stole the Book of Dragons. We need to get it back right away."

"NO!" I shouted. "It's not true! It _can't_ be true! There has to be another explanation."

"Brennda..." Astrid said. I thought she would be angry with me, but the emotion on her face was worse: pity. "He left a ransom note with his Terrible Terror. You should hear what it says."

"No." I covered my ears and shook my head. "I don't want to hear it!"

"Some people say there are five stages of grief," said Ruff. "The first stage is denial."

Tuff nodded. "I hear you, sister."

"Denial doesn't change the truth!" Snotlout said. "Tell her, Astrid."

"No!" I said again.

"Brennda," said Astrid, "he's a pirate."

"NO!" I fell to my knees and moaned. But it made sense. I knew it was true, but I had to deny it in order to prevent overwhelming pain from crushing me. I could already feel it seeping through the walls of my defenses.

"What else does the note say?" Fishlegs asked tentatively.

"He wants the telescope in return for the Book of Dragons," Astrid said. "And he has a message for Brennda."

I looked up at her. "What?"

Astrid looked down at the note and then back at me. "'Checkmate.'"

My eyes widened in horror. "It was all a _game_ to him? How could he _do_ this?" Hot anger quickly took over, and I punched the ground.

"Anger is the second stage," Ruff commented.

"That's what we've been saying!" Snotlout said. "We need to make him pay!"

I slowly got to my feet, my hands shaking. "How could I have not seen this coming? The signs were there. He _told_ me there was something about him I would hate. I should have made him tell me the truth instead of ignoring everything like an idiot. I could have stopped him. I could have changed his mind..."

"Bargaining," said Ruff. "The third stage."

"How sad," said Tuff.

"This isn't your fault," Hiccup said. "There's nothing you could have done."

"But it is," I said. "You all trusted him because of me."

"No, we all trusted him on our own," said Fishlegs. "He tricked _all _of us."

"Even me," said Snotlout, "which is pretty hard to do."

Bolt nudged me with his snout and looked at me with sad eyes. I ran my hand along his neck as I finally let the sadness take over. "I just - I thought-" I swallowed the lump in my throat and fought back the tears. "What am I supposed to do now?"

"Fourth stage: depression," said Ruff.

"What's the fifth stage?" Tuff asked.

"Acceptance."

I glared at them. "I won't accept this. No way! This is a mistake!" I took off running for the woods as my friends called after me. Bolt followed me, but I did not stop running. The pain in my legs felt good; it distracted me from my emotions.

I reached a pond and collapsed in the grass. My renewed denial was already fading, and my whole body shook as I fought off the pain. How could this have happened? Had it really all been a lie? Why?

"Brennda?"

I looked over my shoulder to see Astrid approaching alone. I wiped my eyes with my arm and stood to face her. "Did you come to gloat? Say 'I told you so?' I know you didn't trust him, and you wanted _me _to find out the truth. I failed you."

"No, you didn't," Astrid said. "And you're my friend. I wouldn't gloat when you're in pain. I just wanted to be here for you." She opened her arms in invitation.

She was usually not the hugging type, so I noted her sincerity. I accepted her embrace just before my tears let loose. I could no longer help it. I sobbed into her shoulder while she rubbed my back. This pain... it was too much. I had not cried like this since I lost my parents, and with them, at least I knew they cared about me. Did Harald?

It took a long time for me to calm down enough to speak. "Astrid... Do you think_ everything_ was a lie? Did he ever care about me at all?"

"I... don't know..." Astrid said with uncertainty. "You said he warned you, right? Maybe he did care and felt guilty. I can't say for certain. I don't know what he's thinking or feeling, but I do know what he _did_." She pulled back and looked at me. "Brennda, we have to stop him. We can't let him get away with this... regardless of his motivations. Do you think we can go back to the others and devise a plan?"

I nodded. She had a point. "Just give me a minute." I trudged to the pond and washed my face. I could not erase the red from my eyes, but it still made me feel better. I placed a hand on Bolt's back, and we walked back to camp with Astrid.

Upon arriving, everyone immediately looked away from me. Great. I made it awkward. I looked to Hiccup for instructions.

"Are you going to be alright, Brennda?" Hiccup asked sympathetically.

"No," I said, "but we need to focus on the situation at hand."

"Exactly," said Astrid. "What are we going to do?"

"That's what we'll figure out," said Hiccup. "We might have a really big problem on our hands. We can't defend ourselves properly because Harald took everything. He even took the weapons we confiscated from the dragon hunters on Dark Deep."

Astrid gasped. "Oh no. This means that the little thief has the dragon root arrows. We need to make sure that the dragons around Dragon's Edge are safe! We need to check all of the islands. Fishlegs, go check on the dragons at Dark Deep. Brennda and Snotlout, why don't you two go to Armorwing Island?"

I gave her a weak smile. "Sure thing."

"We're on it!" Snotlout declared.

I was grateful to have a task to focus on. And it felt nice to fly despite the circumstances. Snotlout and I arrived at Armorwing Island and split up to search for the dragon. We met back at the shore with no news to report.

"No luck," Snotlout said. "Wait a second. Harald was here with us, and he was really interested in the magnetism of the Armorwing. He saw the Armorwing as it went to the area with the iron ore. I don't know... maybe we can find him if we get higher elevation. Fly up the mountain and see if you spot my dragon."

I did as he requested, but I had my doubts. Just as suspected, I saw no Armorwing. I then checked out the iron ore deposits and finally found a clue... and it made me sick to my stomach. "SNOTLOUT!"

My friend rushed to my side on Hookfang. His eyes widened when he saw what I was looking at. "On no... Dragon hunter arrows. We're too late! Harald must have already captured the Armorwing."

"But why?" I said in frustration. "This doesn't make any sense. He's friends with dragons."

Snotlout shook his head. "I don't know, but I do know Harald is going to face the full fury of Snotlout Jorgenson when I get my hands on him! I'll stay here and look for clues that might tell us where he went. You should go help Fishlegs at Dark Deep. Maybe you'll get there in time to stop Harald!"

The overwhelming need to find Harald and demand an explanation took over, and I raced over there. I arrived just in time to meet up with Fishlegs as he reached the area we had last seen the Prickleboggle and Catastrophic Quaken.

Fishlegs looked surprised to see me. "Did you just come from Armorwing Island? Is everything okay?"

I swallowed hard. "The Armorwing is gone."

Fishlegs gasped. Then he glanced at the ground. "Oh no. I think Harald might have already taken the Catastrophic Quaken too. He's missing, and I don't think he'd leave the Prickleboggle unprotected by himself. The poor Prickleboggle... he looks so lost without his buddy."

I gazed in sympathy at the lonely dragon. "This is terrible... But how could such a strong dragon be taken so easily? The Quaken was able to fight off a whole group of dragon hunters the last time."

"He must have let Harald get close because he was one of us when we came to help him the last time. He pretended to be a friend then stabbed him in the back... like he did with us."

I cringed and looked away.

"I don't know how the twins are doing, but they should be returning to Dragon's Edge by now. Can you go back and talk to Astrid about the stuff that happened here?"

I mumbled some sort of response. My strength waning, I was glad to rely on Bolt to get me back home. I found Astrid and told her everything that had transpired. Thankfully, she said the dragons on Scuttleclaw Island and Zippleback Island were safe. So, it was just the two...

Once everyone returned, we all gathered around to talk about our next plan of action. "I think we need to talk about the yak in the room!" Snotlout said loudly. "As you all know, it takes a lot to fool me but Harald managed to do it. It got me to thinking about the Skulder, the archaeologist. What do we know about that Viking, really? Heck, he won't even live on Dragon's Edge!"

I crossed my arms and glared at him. "I know an awful lot about him actually; he's my _friend_."

"And so was Harald," Snotlout snapped. "I bet the archaeologist is in cahoots with him. There's no way that Harald could have beaten me without some expert help!"

"You want to run that by me again?" I snarled. I grabbed Snotlout by his shirt and pulled him to me. My other hand I raised in a fist as I glowered at him threateningly. "You really think my taste in friends is _that_ bad? Are you suggesting _another_ one has betrayed me?"

Snotlout's eyes widened in fear. "No! I just-"

"Back to anger, I see," Ruff said.

"Brennda, let him go," Astrid said. "As much as he deserves it for being so _insensitive_, you'd only be taking your anger out on him."

Snotlout nodded vigorously. "How about instead we find Harald and you can punch him?"

I let go of him and took a step back. "Fine." I looked around at the group. "Does anyone _else_ share his suspicions about Skulder?"

"I don't know what to think, Brennda," Fishlegs said. "I'm sure a friend like Skulder wouldn't betray us. But then again, I thought that Harald could never do such a thing. He was always so interested in hearing my cool theories on dragon evolution!"

"Wait a second... When I first visited Skulder on Mudraker Island, Harald refused to go with me and was adamant that I not tell Skulder about him. He said Skulder hates him due to a misunderstanding in the past."

"He said that because they're working together!" Snotlout said.

I glared at him, shutting him up. "Or Skulder knows who Harald really is and Harald didn't want him to expose him."

"Maybe we can put this thought to rest by checking up on Mudraker Island," Fishlegs said. "Brennda, go take a look through the telescope!"

"Brilliant idea!" I hopped on Bolt and flew up to the telescope. This really was an amazing invention! I located Mudraker Island and zoomed in. A second later, I gasped and stumbled back. "I saw him!" I shouted down to the others. "I saw Harald on the island!"

"Really?" Fishlegs called up to me. "But I don't understand. Why would he be there?"

"Doesn't matter. I'm going to go catch him!"

"Brennda!" Hiccup called as I flew out over the ocean.

"You're not stopping me this time! And the rest of you will just slow me down!"

I soon tuned out everything from my mind except my destination. Bolt flew even faster as Mudraker Island came into view. We stopped by the shore, but I could not spot Harald's boat. 

"Harald!" I called. "Are you here?" Nothing. He had to be around here, didn't he? Perhaps he had spotted me and was using the sea stacks to hide while he waited for me to leave the island?

I flew Bolt towards the sea stacks. "HARALD!" Desperation leaked from my voice. I swooped down low and looked for him or his ship. "Harald! I just... I just want to talk." I flew high to get a better vantage point. Still nothing. He had to be long gone by now. "Harald..."

I wiped my wet eyes. Bolt whined. I sucked in a sharp breath. Skulder. I had to find Skulder. "Come on, boy. There's one more thing we have to do." I steered him towards the archaeologist's camp.

I could not immediately spot him, but I did see something usual: a large cage. I landed and then ran right for it. I stopped short when I found _Skulder_ inside the cage!

"Brennda!" Skulder cried. "Thank Odin you're here. Dragon's Edge is in danger! Harald Forkbeard the dreaded pirate has set his sights on these seas. He took all the Viking artifacts I'd excavated and left me in this cage. We need to act right now!"

"Oh no!" I moaned.

"I don't know how it happened. The evil pirate knew exactly how to find me. He sailed into safe harbor without hesitation, captured me, and stole everything from my camp."

Tears pricked my eyes. This was my fault. Harald knew where to find him because of _me_. "I'm so sorry, Skulder."

He gave me a sympathetic look, obviously not understanding. "It'll be alright. You should be able to shatter the lock of this cage with your axe."

I took a deep breath. "Right." I had to save my friend, who I was right about, by the way. With newfound determination, I raised my axe and shattered the lock, allowing Skulder to break free.

"Whew! Thank you, my old friend. This experience reminds me of the time I ran into a particularly unfriendly tribe far from here. It's a memory I would much rather forget."

I forced a smile. "You're welcome." But it didn't make up for everything else.

Skulder appeared completely oblivious to my somber mood. "I did learn something new! It's the only favorable thing to happen to me in a few weeks, I'm afraid. Little Muddie has great instincts. As soon as Harald trapped me in this cage, little Muddie knew that there was trouble afoot. He went to hide far away from the pirate. What a smart little dragon!"

Oh, that was a relief. "That's great!"

Skulder nodded. "Can you find him at his swamp and make sure that Harald didn't catch up to him? Use your axe against his rock to make one of his favorite noises. I'm sure he'll poke his head out if he's nearby."

"No problem." I walked up to the usual rock and swung my axe down on top of it. The Mudraker bolted out of the water and went right up to Skulder, who smiled at him.

"There's my clever boy!" Skulder said happily. "Oh, look here, Brennda. Our friends have arrived. Backup in case the dreaded Harald Forkbeard was still around, I gather?"

I cringed at his continued colorful descriptions of Harald. "No, stop it," I muttered as I trudged back to him.

Skulder frowned, finally seeming to notice something was amiss. "Brenda... what's wrong?"

The newcomers exchanged uneasy glances. "She's upset about Harald," Hiccup said. "He's been living with us on Dragon's Edge, pretending to be our friend. Brennda was affected the most."

Skulder looked from me to Hiccup. "I see. I am too late."

"I trusted Harald because he seemed so friendly about dragons, and instead he took advantage of us. I even let him make me doubt you. I'm sorry."

"No, it's my fault," said Astrid. "I shouldn't have let down my guard. I should have known that we were letting a snake into our midst."

My anger suddenly returned. I clenched my fits so tightly my nails dug into my skin. "Will you both just stop it? You_ know_ this is my fault! _I'm_ the one who should be apologizing."

Skulder watched me with wide eyes. "Brennda?"

"I am the one who was closest to Harald. I'm the one he manipulated. I was skeptical at first, but he won me over, so you all trusted him too. I'm the one who ignored all the signs because I didn't want to believe it. And I'm the reason he knew where to find Skulder and his artifacts. I'm the one who was so captivated by him that nothing else mattered. This is _my _fault." I could no longer stop the tears. I hid my face behind my curly hair, but there was no silencing the sobs.

"Hiccup?" Skulder said. "I've never seen her like this, have you?"

"No," Hiccup said, "and I don't know what to do. We can stop Harald's plans, but how do I fix _this_?"

"You can't," Astrid said gently.

"Let me try," said Skulder. I refused to look at him as he approached from behind. "Brennda, listen to me, this is not your fault. Many great Vikings have been fooled by Harald Forkbeard. We've crossed paths many times, and he's never failed to prove himself a crafty manipulator and skilled thief. We need to figure out how to protect ourselves from him more than place blame."

I sucked in a sharp breath. "You don't understand. It wasn't just because of his skill that he was able to trick me. We - we became close." At least I _thought_ we did. My heart still refused to believe that _none_ of it was true. Perhaps I could not accept that a mere lie could cause such strong feelings. As my tears ceased, I wiped my eyes and finally looked at my archaeologist friend. "Such high level of deception requires the participation of the deceived. I _wanted_ to believe he was a good guy. I _wanted_ to believe he cared, so I ignored all evidence to the contrary." Just like he said.

Skulder shook his head. "Do not fault yourself for seeing the best in him. You would not be who you are if you did not, and I happen to like who you are. Your willingness to give him the benefit of the doubt only proves you have a good heart. I know I appreciate that you trusted_ me_ from the beginning. There is always a risk in letting someone into your life, but that should not stop you. Sometimes it will work out, and other times it won't."

"You still have us," Hiccup said.

"And _we_ appreciate your friendship," Astrid added.

I managed a small smile for them. They had great points. In time, I might even come to agree with them. "Thanks, guys. I'll... get through this."

Skulder turned to Hiccup and Astrid. "Now what will you do?"

"We need to come up with a plan to deal with Harald, but first we must warn everyone else," Hiccup said. "We should spread the word about Harald. Berk and the School need to know that he's operating nearby."

"I'll go," I said.

"You sure? You don't have to. I can send Astrid."

I nodded. "I want to go. If I have something to focus on, it will make it easier to deal with all this. Besides, I want to talk to Heather."

"Alright. Meet us back at Dragon's Edge when you're finished."

"Good luck," Astrid said.

"Thanks," I said. I would need it.


	21. Chapter 21

"_Let it hurt, let it bleed  
__Let it take you right down to your knees  
__Let it burn to the worst degree  
__May not be what you want  
__But it's what you need  
  
__Sometimes the only way around it  
__Is to let love do its work  
__And let it hurt  
__Yeah, let it hurt_" 

\- "Let It Hurt" by Rascal Flatts

Chapter 21

I spent the entire flight to the School thinking about what I would say to Heather. I knew the information I needed to convey, but surely she would ask questions I might not know how to answer. Where did I even start? Perhaps the best plan was to wing it.

I landed at the School and walked to the lab, my hand on Bolt's back to keep from trembling. Heather exited the lab just as I reached it.

"Hi, Brennda!" she said with a smile that faded when she saw my expression. "What's wrong? Is it the dragon hunters?"

"No. It's just... we've had a visitor at Dragon's Edge who just betrayed us." I took a deep breath. I remembered something important during my flight. Harald had always conveniently disappeared when Heather was around. Maybe it was not a coincidence. "Heather, do you know a pirate by the name of Harald Forkbeard?"

Heather's eyes went wide. "Harald? Harald Forkbeard was at Dragon's Edge? That Viking is bad news. While I was undercover with Dagur, I saw him dealing with the dragon hunters... and it didn't seem like it was the first time."

I clenched my fists. "No..." How could he be in with the dragon hunters? He seemed so good with dragons. And he had a great relationship with Leopold... There was no way that could be faked. But I supposed just because he liked one dragon didn't mean he liked them all.

Heather gave me a worried look. "He didn't hurt you, did he?"

"Not physically." I bit my lip as tears swam in my eyes.

Heather's own eyes flashed in understanding. "You know what? I'll make some tea for us, and then you can tell me everything."

I nodded. Heather entered the lab, and I headed for our dorm. Soon, my roommate returned with two hot mugs of tea. We sat across from each other, and I began my story.

I told her everything. How Harald had come to the Edge asking for our help. How he befriended everybody, me most of all. I told her how close we had gotten. Then I told her how he stole everything on his way out.

Through it all, I somehow managed to keep the tears at bay. "You want to know the worst part?" I said, wiping my eyes. "If I could, I would go back to the fantasy world we had built each other, even knowing who and what he is."

Heather gave me a look of pure empathy. "You love him, don't you?"

I nodded. "And I don't know how to stop. Because the thing is... I saw through his act right away. He fooled everyone else, but I hated the mask he wore. It was only when he was finally real with me that I started to fall for him. So, it all couldn't have been a lie. Maybe his own feelings were, but he did show me part of who he really is."

"Some people can manipulate others with the truth, not just lies." She reached over and placed her hand over mind. "I'm so sorry, Brennda. I should have been there. I would have been able to warn you all."

I shook my head. "It's not your fault. Harald is smart, and he knew to avoid you."

"Right. The blame goes to _him_ alone." She paused. "What are you going to do?"

"We'll figure something out. For now, we need to warn everyone at the School and Berk. I don't want anyone else to get fooled..."

Heather nodded. "I'll get to work on creating something we can use to warn everyone. While I do that, will you talk to Johann about Harald? I know that he trades all across the archipelago. Maybe he'll have some more insight on him."

I accepted the task and headed out. Thankfully, I found Johann at his trading post. After exchanging greetings, I explained the situation to him.

"Harald Forkbeard is not a man to be trifled with, dear Brennda," Johann said. "He will tell you exactly what you need to hear to let him into your grace, then stab you directly in the back! I don't mean that figuratively, either. I've got the scar to prove it."

I cringed. "Great. Thanks for that image." I returned to the lab to find Heather clutching a stack of papers.

"Take a look!" she said, proudly holding up the papers. "I remember Harald's face very well, so I drew a small painting of the man for these wanted posters. Now, no one will be confused about what sort of pond scum this guy is." She frowned when I winced at her terminology. "Sorry, too soon?"

I nodded. She sounded like Skulder, and I just could not see it. But maybe they were right. They were probably more objective than I was. I did not know what to believe anymore.

"Anyway, I'll need your help to put these up at a place where there's a lot of Viking foot traffic. We need to get the word out there so that no one else gets fooled by the thief! Can you put this up on the school building and the entrance on the hatchery? I'll place one up by the lab."

"Sure." I grabbed some posters and got to work. Afterwards, we headed to Berk to place them there as well. The sun had started to set by the time we completed our task.

"Good work," Heather said. "Now that the School and Berk have warning up on Harald Forkbeard, you should put them up at Dragon's Edge." She handed me the rest of the posters.

"I will," I said. "Thanks for your help. And thanks for listening."

She gave me a small smile. "You're welcome. If you need me, I'll be here."

I nodded once and then turned to Bolt. We made it back to the Edge and put up the rest of the posters. Hiccup thanked me for my hard work and then said he decided to call it a today. Tomorrow we would come up with a plan to face Harald. I had a feeling it would be a long day.

***

Sleep did not come easy. Harald haunted my dreams when I finally drifted off. I did not remember the details, but I woke up gasping for breath. Astrid was already up and ready, and she cast me a worried look.

"How are you doing?" she said.

"Terrible," I muttered.

"Nightmare?"

I grimaced. "_This_ feels like the nightmare. I keep hoping I'll wake up to find it was all a dream." But no. This was my reality.

Astrid looked at me in sympathy. "I am really sorry, Brennda. None of this should have ever happened."

I cast my gaze to the floor. "I know." I sighed and hoisted myself up off the bed. "Let me get ready, and then we can figure this all out.

Within the hour, Astrid and I huddled in her hut, looking over Harald's ransom note. Harald had drawn the location on the island where he wanted the ransom.

"I hate to compliment the no-good double-crosser, but he did a great job in making this map," Astrid said. "He must have charted out the islands around Dragon's Edge as he followed us there. Hiccup's working on maps from the air so they're a touch more accurate, but only just. The object on the bottom left of the map is a compass rose; it's a symbol that shows the cardinal directions (north, east, south, and west) on a map. It helps us know which way to go to find which island."

"All important for navigating," I said. Of course, I learned all that from Harald when he taught me how to sail.

"Let's see... the island he wants us to put the ransom is due west of us. Let's fly to the west and find the island he's talking about!"

We ran to our dragons and took off. Astrid used her compass to fly west, and the first island we saw was _very_ familiar.

"Hobblegrunt Island," Astrid said. We hovered on our dragons near the shore. "We met the dragon hunters here and I never saw Harald. Is there a connection between the dragon hunters and Harald?!"

I hesitated. "Well... Heather did tell me she saw him with the dragon hunters when she was working undercover."

Astrid frowned. "I don't understand. He helped us rescue those wounded dragons from the dragon hunters."

"Not to mention, he has a dragon of his own. And Bolt seems to love him..." My dragon looked back at me upon hearing his name. He did not appear upset about the situation in the least. "Skrills are among the most intelligent dragons. Tricking them is not an easy feat."

Astrid nodded. "Hiccup learned that lesson firsthand. And you're pretty smart yourself, Brennda. I can see why Harald would want to win you two over. If he could do that, the rest of us were easy. But what I don't get is how he managed to pull it off for so long. He was with us for nearly three weeks! It was incredibly risky for him to get those close to you two and give you the chance to find him out."

"That is a great question." Intelligence inside, luck was bound to be against him. Eventually, someone like Heather or Skulder would have exposed him. Was that why he became so anxious at the end? If that was the case, why not just leave right then? Why drag it out?

Astrid shook her head. "Well, that's a mystery for another time. I'll ask him about it after I've beat him down. Anyway, if we want to trick him, we'll need to lure him in with a fake set of goods. Can you go back to Gobber at Berk and ask him for a set of crates?"

"I'm on it!" As I flew to Berk, Astrid's question swirled in my head. Yesterday, I had been too emotional to logically sift through everything I knew about Harald. There actually was a lot that did not make sense. The more I thought about it, the more confused I became. Eventually, I decided to just focus on the task at hand.  
  
I collected a crate from Gobber that would fit a telescope. Of course, there was no way we were giving the telescope to Harald. Upon returning to the Edge, I immediately went to the twins. If we wanted to trick Harald, we would need expert tricksters.

"You've come to the right Vikings," Ruffnut said with pride. "It'll be our pleasure to make Harald get Loki'd. I'm thinking that we go to the basics for this one, brother. How about the old Happy Snoggletog?"

Tuffnut grinned. "Good choice! The Happy Snoggletog is a Thornston Special, Brennda. You get your wrapped present from your sister. You shake it to see what it could be, and you get excited because it has the right weight for an axe or a cool Viking helmet. You open it - and poof! A box of rocks. I've had a lot of special holidays ruined by the Happy Snoggletog. Ah, memories."  
  
"That sounds like exactly what we need!" I said. "Do you think it will work?"

"The telescope is much larger than a present, but the same principle applies. Find a bunch of boulders and we'll fill the box. Only the highest quality boulder will do for a Tuffnut prank; get us two boulders from dark Deep, the home of boulders!"

Well, they were the experts! I took my time scouring Dark Deep for the perfect boulders. After that, Ruffnut had the idea to add in rotten fish, so I collected some from her secret cache in Berk.

"You can count on me to make this happen, Brennda!" Ruff said once I delivered the goods. "I'll get to work on it right away while you work on the next part of the trap."

I talked to Hiccup about our plan. He approved, but he said we needed to find a way to stop Harald so he could not get away. He sent me to Astrid, who had come up with an idea. I gave my temporary roommate a small smile as I approached. After quickly explaining what the twins and I had in mind, I asked for her input.

"As much as I would like to have Stormfly spike Harald to a plank, that would make me as bad as he is," Astrid said. "So, instead, we just need to figure out a way to keep him from getting away. It got me to thinking about our adventure on Scuttleclaw Island, when we had to fly to keep away from the Skrill. We found a cave there that was a Flightmare nest. The Flightmare has a paralyzing mist that can freeze a person in place. Trust me, I've felt it - personally. It would be a perfect tool to freeze Harald Forkbeard."

"That sounds like a great idea!" I said.

So, we headed to Scuttleclaw Island in search of the Flightmare. We could not find the dragon in the cave where we spotted the egg, but we did find something else. It turned out the walls were covered with frozen Flightmare mist. We decided to collect it and test it out.

Back at Dragon's Edge, we placed the ice in a bowl, which we set on the ground. We planned to heat up the ice to turn it liquid, which we could then use in our trap.The other riders gathered around in curiosity to watch out experiment. Snotlout crept a little too close to the bowl.

"I would step back from the bowl, Snotlout," Hiccup said. "We're trying to conduct a safe experiment. We think that ice is Flightmare mist, and it needs to melt or change state to a liquid before we can use it. We just need to test it and see if that's true."

Snotlout crossed his arms. "Come on, Hiccup! Sorry, but time is money and I don't have time to watch ice melt. We need to hurry this up with some Hookfang flames!"

Hiccup frown"Snotlout..."

"No, let him," Astrid said. "I'd love to watch him perform this experiment."

Snotlout grinned. "Yeah! The Snotlout experiment is a go! Shoot the bowl with Bolt, Brennda."

Bolt looked at me, and I shrugged. "Go ahead, boy." The Skrill turned to the bowl and shot it with one of his lightning bolts.

"This is taking too long!" Snotlout exclaimed. "Hookfang, let's show these guys how to do it the Snotlout way!"

Hookfang's whole body lit up in flames. Then he fired a large fireball at the bowl. The ice immediately turned into liquid, and it splattered, paralyzing Snoutlout, who stood much too close.

Astrid laughed. "That's Snotlout for you! The Flightmare toxin changed from a solid state, to a liquid state, to a gas state, each time energy was added. And as an extra bonus, Snotlout is temporarily paralyzed! Anything to say Snotlout? ....Snotlout?" She looked at me with a frown. "Say... is Snotlout okay?"

I stepped forward and examined Snotlout. He appeared frozen in place, but his eyes did move. Hmm...

"Astrid, you know, a kiss would probably revive me..." he said.

Astrid rolled her eyes. "Ugh. Sounds like he's his usual self, to me."

"This is the answer we needed!" Hiccup said, turning to me in excitement. "We need to spray Harald with the paralyzing mist when he tries to get his ransom box. Fishlegs made some glass containers we can use to bottle the liquid. I'll work on a mechanism that will break the bottle of Flightmare mist when the chest opens."

I nodded. "Sounds like a plan."  
  
We had everything together in no time. We poured the Flightmare liquid in the bottle and then heated it up to turn it into a gas. By then, Ruff and Tuff had filled the chest I brought them with rocks the exact weight of the telescope. Hiccup set up the chest so that the Flightmare mist would shatter when Harald opened the chest. We were good to go!

"This is great!" Astrid said when I handed her the finished product. "It looks really convincing. Let's go to the ransom spot at Hobblegrunt Island, Brennda. Hiccup, Snotlout - you have to stay here. If Harald sniffs out an ambush, he'll never come collect his bounty, and he'll never fall into our trap."

Hiccup nodded. "Good luck you two."

I gave him a weak smile. Then it was off to Hobblegrunt Island. Trepidation filled my chest as Astrid and I set the crate up out in the open. It was finally happening. We were going to catch Harald. Astrid pulled me into the trees to hide. 

And then we waited.

"Quick, keep still!" Astrid said suddenly. "Is that him?"

I held my breath as I watched through the trees. Harald approached the chest. He looked around cautiously - thankfully, he did not see us. Then he knelt down and opened the chest. As soon as he did, the Flightmare mist exploded, and he froze.

"Yes! It worked!" Astrid said triumphantly. "We need to see if the Flightmare gas worked. I have a little experience with it, myself, so I'm sure Harald is completely paralyzed... but I want to double check."

My heart hammered as we approached Harald, dragons at our side. All of the pain I had successfully ignored came rushing back, and I suddenly felt weak.

Astrid had no such trepidation. She walked around so that Harald could see her and glared at him. "How dare you betray us after we took you in as a friend? I should smack you over the head with my axe!" She turned to me. "Is there anything you want to say, Brennda? Now's your chance."

My eyes flickered to Harald's frozen face, and the not in my stomach tightened. I looked back at Astrid and shook my head. "There's no point if he can't respond."

Astrid's smile fell. "Alright then. I'll keep an eye on Harald Liar-Beard over here while you go get Hiccup. Don't worry, he won't get one over on me or Stormfly."

"Got it. Come on, Bolt."

We flew as fast as we could back to Dragon's Edge. I quickly alerted Hiccup to the situation, and he gathered the other riders. I led the way to the meeting spot on Hobblegrunt Island.

We arrived just in time to see the Flightmare mist wear off. Harald immediately darted for the shore, and Astrid and Stormfly chased after him. He almost made it to his ship, but we got there first and surrounded him. Astrid and Hiccup stood on either side of me while the others hovered in the air.

Harald turned to face us, seeming to resign himself to his fate. "You knew I couldn't resist trying to open that lock right away, huh?" he said, looking around at each of us. "You lot pulled the wool over my eyes. I might have pulled a bit of a trick on you lot, but I know when I'm beat. Here's the Book of Dragons. It's unharmed, on my word."

"Like the word of Harald Forkbeard means anything to us," Astrid snarled, snatching the book from his hands.

"What have you done with the dragons?" Hiccup demanded.

Harald did not appear phased by either outburst. "It was nothing personal mate, just business. They are a very lucrative trade in the right circles. You gave me the opportunity to take them, like leaving a shed door wide open. It was too tempting for a legendary pirate like me. How could I resist?"

"Legendary pirate?" Astrid scoffed. "More like a common thief. We accepted you, and you betrayed us! You're scum." She started forward but then stopped herself. She glanced at me. "Tell him, Brennda."

For the first time that evening, Harald fixed his cool eyes on me. His apathy caused my anger to return full force. "You say this is all about business?" I exclaimed. "That makes it _worse_! Do you even care what you did to us? Did to me? You manipulated me and my emotions, and for what? Profit?"

"I admit I may have gone too far," Harald said with the same nonchalant expression. "My apologies."

I glared at him. "That is not an apology!" Without thinking, I strode forward and grasped his shirt with one hand while pulling back my fist, much like I had with Snotlout the previous day.

"Go Brennda!" Snotlout shouted in glee.

"Go ahead and hit me if it will make you feel better," Harald said calmly, his expression unchanged.

I had every intention of doing just that, but as I stared into his eyes, something stopped me. Why couldn't I do it? Why was I unable to hurt him even now? Something bothered me about the perfect control he had over his emotions. To control his emotions implied there were emotions he deemed worth hiding. This was another shield, and I desperately wanted to break through.

Bolt whined beside me. I glanced at him and saw him watching me in sadness. Come to think of it, he was the only dragon here not snarling at Harald. Bolt's eyes seemed to beg me to understand something. What could he see that I couldn't?

I took a deep breath and let my anger out with my exhale. I let go of Harald. "No. I can't - I _won't_. It might make me feel better for a second, but it won't help me get what I really want."

Harald still offered no emotional response. "And what is that?"

"The truth."

Finally, he showed a hint of amusement as he lips quirked into a smirk. "No, you do not really want the truth."

I considered his words. "Maybe I don't _want_ it, but I _need_ it. Even if the truth is painful, I can't live a lie."

"Brennda, how do you expect to get the truth from him if we can't believe anything he says?" Astrid said.

"I'm not expecting him to come out and _tell_ me. There are other ways to figure out who he is."

"You already know who he is! Do I need to remind you?"

I met Harald's steady gaze, and suddenly, all our past experiences flooded my mind. Instead of the pain I expected, they brought warmth and comfort. "Maybe I do know who you are. All those terrible things Skulder and Heather said about you - and Astrid too - maybe they're true... but so are all the good things _I_ know about you. Because the truth is complicated, isn't it? Everyone has some good _and_ evil inside them. The world isn't divided into heroes and villains."

"Uh, yeah it is," Snotlout said.

"But that makes everything so much more fun," Harald said. "It's a much better story."

"But it's not _true_," I insisted. "You can't change play the part of an evil pirate and expect me to go along with it."

"Why not? No one else seems to have a problem with it."

"I'm not like them. Maybe that makes me a freak or a fool, but I don't care..." I looked at my friends to see them with confused and worried expressions. Of course they could not understand what I was saying. Like Harald explained before, most people did _not_ want the real truth. It was much easier to maintain an 'us vs. them' mentality. All this time I had tried to prove to everyone I was with them... could my sympathy for the other side lead them to suspect otherwise?

It did not matter. I knew what was right. I turned back to Harald with renewed determination. "They can do as they wish. I have chosen the harder path, and I will not ask them to join me. You think you've won this 'game' you've played with me? You're wrong. The game isn't over yet. It's just begun, and I will prove to you that _I'm_ the one who's right." I crossed my arms and glared at him defiantly.

Harald chuckled, and the sound caught me off guard. "You really are interesting, you know that? I could not have found a more worthy opponent. Very well. Game on."

My eyes narrowed. What was he up to? Did he want me to give up on him or not? Maybe he was just trying to confuse me. If so, he was definitely succeeding.

Hiccup cleared his throat. "Brennda, are you finished interrogating him?"

I spared him a glance. "Yes, Hiccup. You may proceed."

"Good," said Astrid. She fixed her steely gaze on Harald. "Tell us where the dragons are!"

The emotion vanished from Harald's face as soon as it had appeared. "Astrid, dear, I was only using them as means to an end. Unfortunately, I ran into a small complication. The dragon hunters ambushed me a few leagues away from Dragon's Edge and stole the dragons. I know where they are taking them, and if you release me, I can sneak you into their camp. Don't worry, I have a plan, if you'll listen..."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well, Brennda has made her choice... We'll see if she regrets it in the end.


	22. Chapter 22

"_You love me, but you don't know who I am  
I'm torn between this life I lead and where I stand  
And you love me, but you don't know who I am  
So let me go  
Let me go_

_I dream ahead to what I hope for  
And I turn my back on loving you  
How can this love be a good thing  
When I know what I'm goin' through_"

\- "Let Me Go" by 3 Doors Down

Chapter 22

"The _dragon hunters_ have the dragons?" I said in disbelief. "And you had nothing to do with that?" I eyed Harald suspiciously. I might still see the good in him, but that did not mean I trusted him.

"Yes, that's what I said," Harald said. "The dragon hunters and I have had some business in the past, so they'll let me into their camp unhindered. If you wear a disguise, I can take you in with me. I'll distract them and you can free the dragons. If we hurry, they won't be harmed. Luckily for us, I happen to have an extra set of dragon hunter armor with my supplies. And it's just your size!"

I stared at him as if I could deduce the truth from his eyes. But his amiable attitude successfully cloaked all other emotions. This guy was good. "So, let me get this straight," I said. "You stole the dragons to sell them to the highest bidder, but the dragon hunters took them from you, and now you want to help me rescue them so they can be free? Oh, and you just happen to have a disguise that's my size? It's not like there are many female dragon hunters..."

"It does sound awfully hard to believe," Astrid said. "How do we know you're not setting her up?"

"Because even I would not do that," Harald said, giving her a serious look. He turned back to me. "This job isn't for the faint of heart. It will be just you and me, in the heart of darkness. The dragon hunters know the faces of all the dragon riders, so they can't come along. We can't take your dragon either, unless you want precious Bolt to be taken right from your hands."

I gave him another long, hard stare. "Even if you're not setting me up, you're still getting something out of this. And don't say you're doing it so we'll go easy on you. I'm sure you could find a way to escape from us if you really tried."

"Thank you for the compliment, Brennda," Harald said with a small smirk. "What I get out of this arrangement is my business. It has nothing to do with you."

I narrowed my eyes. So, I was right. I wanted to figure this out, but I knew that was not what was important right now. I turned to Hiccup. "What do you think of this plan?"

"I don't like it but he's right," Hiccup said. "They've seen us in action too many times, but you might be able to sneak in without detection. I don't want to choose for you, Brennda, since it's so dangerous. If you decide to do it, we'll all fly cover for you just outside of the dragon hunters' range. We'll be as close as we possibly can to help out if thing go wrong."

Harald feigned a look of offense. "'Things go wrong'? You don't trust me? I'm wounded, Hiccup."

"_None_ of us trust you right now," I said. "After what you did, how can you expect me to just follow you into enemy territory? Why should I believe a word you say?"

"Because I am your only hope of freeing those dragons."

While this was technically true, it did not exactly instill confidence. I turned to Bolt to see what he thought of the situation. As soon as my eyes were on him, he perked up and moved to stand in between Harald and me. Then he bent his head and nuzzled him affectionately. I stared at him in shock. "B-Bolt?"

Surprise flashed on Harald's face. Then he smiled as he rubbed the Skrill's head. "You still trust me, don't you?"

"But why?" Astrid said. "Surely he understands what's going on?"

"Maybe he's confused," Fishlegs said. "He might not know what he's doing."

"Or he's in denial too," Ruffnut said.

I glared at her for the implication. Then I turned back to my dragon. "Bolt, _no_. He is not a friend."

Bolt gave me a dubious look. Then he glanced at Harald's boat and made a low sound. Leopold jumped out of the boat and ran straight towards him, a happy smile on his face.

"Hello there," I said weakly. I still could not resisted the little guy. Leopold flew up and landed right on my head. "Hey! You can't be up there!" I tried to lift him off, but his claws tangled in my curly hair. "Harald, _help_." This was _his_ dragon. He had to fix this.

Harald chuckled. "If you insist. Hold still."

I had no problem with this, for I froze as soon as he stepped right up to me. I did not look at him, but my heart beat too quickly from his nearness. Why did he still affect me this way? I let out a breath of relief when Harald freed Leopold. I lifted my head to thank him, but our eyes locked, and my breath caught in my throat at his intense gaze.

I took a step back, but out of the corner of my eye I saw Bolt push Harald right into me. He nearly knocked me down, but he caught my arms and steadied me. His face mirrored my look of surprise.

"I stand corrected," Fishlegs said. "Bolt knows _exactly _what he's doing."

I frowned. "But why would he-?"

Harald gave me a disarming smile. He let go of me and moved back, and I hated that I wished he hadn't. "He knows that you're safe with me. That is what I promised when I first rode him, isn't it?"

"Well, yes, but how do I know that wasn't one of your lies? How do I know what to trust?"

"Point taken. I have lied to you in the past, and I will do so in the future. To help you out, I will tell you the one truth you should never doubt." He stepped up to me again and looked down at me with an expression I had to take seriously. "I will not let any harm come to you, Brennda. Not while you're under my watch."

A shiver ran down my spine as I gazed into his eyes. I believed him. And I hated it. How could he say that after what he put me through? But that look in his eyes... There was something about it that reminded me why I fell in love with him. Why I was _still_ in love with him. This was not _fair_.

"You're cruel," I muttered, tearing my gaze away. It probably sounded absurd to the others that I would say that now. But with a sinking feeling, I realized that it would not be easy from now on. He made me want something I could never have, and _that_ was what I could not forgive. I sucked in a sharp breath. "I'll do it. I'll go with you. Give me the disguise."

"Good," Harald said, his cool demeanor returning. He walked to his boat and rummaged through his belongings. He returned to me with a dragon hunter outfit.

I accepted the clothing. "I'll be right back." I headed into the trees where I could change in peace. Away from Harald, it felt like I could finally breathe. I do not know what I had been expecting, but it certainly had not been _that_. I took deep breaths to calm myself so I would be ready for the mission.

I returned to the others with renewed determination. I nodded once at Harald, and he smiled at me. "It looks good on you," he said.

I shot him a sharp look. "That's not exactly a compliment, Harald."

"Ah, there is one more piece to the disguise." He held up a silver chain with a beautiful red gemstone.

I frowned. "Seems unneeded to me. I don't think that's part of the uniform. And you probably stole it."

"I assure you, I actually did not. Please indulge me."

I sighed but turned around so he could place it around my neck. He pulled back my hair, and his fingers grazed my skin as he latched the necklace. I hoped he could not hear my sudden erratic heartbeat. When I turned around, he was gazing at me with a soft smile.

"You look beautiful," he said.

I looked away so he could not see me blush. "We should get going."

"But of course."

I glanced back at him to see him all business now. How could he _do_ that? Did he just turn his emotions on and off? Or was he just messing with me? I held in a complaint as I followed him to his ship.

"Good luck!" Hiccup called as we set sail.

"Thanks!" I shouted back. I was glad that everyone would be fairly close by. Even if I did trust Harald, it was always a good idea to have backup.

We sailed in silence. I did want to speak to Harald alone eventually, but right now I needed to focus on my mission. I could not do anything that would leave me feeling weak and vulnerable. For his part, Harald seemed happy to avoid conversation.

After what felt like far too long, we pulled into a dock at a small island. "We've arrived," Harald said. He turned to me. "Don't make any quick movements, don't rouse suspicion, and for the love of Thor, please don't-"

"Is that Forkbeard I see?" said a dragon hunter waiting at the dock. "You must be the bravest Viking - or dumbest - to show your face here again."

Yep, he definitely wanted something from the hunters. I took this opportunity to sneak past the man standing guard.

"You've sold us some dangerous dragons, Forkbeard," the hunter went on. "We can't rouse the catastrophic Quaken at all or it will tear this place apart. We paid you too much!"

"But you lot are the mighty dragon hunters!" Harald proclaimed. "There's no way a dragon could best you if you put your mind to it."

My eyes narrowed into slits. That lying sneak sold the dragons to the dragon hunters! No matter; I had to keep going. I held my breath as I walked past the guards into the camp.

"Hey you!" one of the dragon hunters said, stopping me. "Wait a minute... aren't you a little young to be a dragon hunter?"

I kept my cool as I addressed him. "Are you doubting the judgment of Viggo Grimborn? He recruited me himself."

The man paled. "Well, go check if the Catastrophic Quaken is still sleeping and give it more dragon root if it isn't. Hurry up!"

I held my breath as I scurried past him. That was close! Perhaps it was best if I stayed out of sight from now on. I looked around for the dragons while evading the sight of the dragon hunters. Then something caught my eye.

Curious, I approached a small cage. Instead of a dragon, there was a strange, spherical object inside that glowed blue. I thought I had seen it before, but I could not remember where. I tried to open the cage, but it was locked. Oh well. It was more important that I find and free the dragons. I resumed my search.

Finally I found the Catastrophic Quaken near the middle of the camp. The dragon did indeed appear to be asleep. The cage was locked from the outside, but it was a simple latch I managed to undo on my first try. I stepped inside the cage and examined the Quaken. I needed to find a way to wake him. I spotted the dragon root arrows and carefully pulled them out. When they dragon became aroused, I ran out of there.

The Quaken rolled out of the cage. Then he rolled straight through the camp, causing havoc in his wake. The dragon hunters scrambled around in a panic. I smirked. Served them right. Now to find the Armorwing!

I moved quickly and avoid the chaos. I found the caged Armorwing on the second level of the camp. I manged to quickly free him as well. I glanced over my shoulder to see dragon hunters running towards me. Uh oh! I looked at the Armorwing. Perhaps he could give me a quick ride out.

But then I noticed what was happening on the lower level. Harald was surrounded by dragon hunters. He appeared to e trying to talk his way out of trouble, but they were clearly not happy with him. It looked like I had no choice. I could not leave him.

I smiled at the Armorwing while rubbing his neck. "Go on. Be free." He appeared hesitant at first, but then he walked out of the cage and flapped his wings.

The dragon hunters were almost upon me now. I lowered my head and barreled right past them. I found a ledge and hopped to the first level. I should have a minute before the reached me now. I spotted Harald and raced over to him, breaking the circle of hunters in the process. I took a second to catch my breath and then looked at the surprised faces of the hunters. "What's the trouble, my good men?"

The hunters exchanged glances. "He set the Catastrophic Quaken loose in our camp!" one of them said, pointing accusingly at Harald. "Probably going to try to sell it again and pull the same trick."

That did sound like something he would do. "You must be mistaken," I said smoothly. "He is my partner, and we did not come here to cause trouble. We were just leaving, so if would would please let us through...?"

The hunters appeared uncertain, but they did allow Harald and I to pass. However, the hunters from the second level finally reached us.

"Stop that girl!" one of the hunters shouted. "She freed the Quaken!"

The others immediately turned on us. The hunter closest to Harald raised his axe. I put myself in between them as I drew my sword, blocking the attack. I glared venomously at the hunter. "Leave. Him. _Alone_." I used his surprise to my advantage to get the upper hand and push him away from me.

"Nice one," Harald said into my ear, "but I think we should run."

I nodded. We were not too far from the dock, so I was sure we could make it. We took off running together, dodging the hunters in our way. Harald proved the speedier one, and soon he got ahead of me.

I tried hard to catch up to him, but my short legs could only go so fast. As I ran over a wooden bridge, my right foot suddenly crashed through a board, spending me falling onto my face. I recovered quickly, but my foot was stuck... and the hunters were gaining on me! "Harald!" I cried in panic. "Help!"

No matter how hard I pulled, my foot would not come free. Finally, I used the hilt of my sword to break the wood around the small hole. Then I was able to free my foot and stand up... just in time to see a dragon hunter coming down on me with his axe.

A split second later, Harald was in front of, blocking the attack much like I had minutes earlier. "You will not touch her," he growled. I had never seen him angry, and his ferocity matched mine from when I defended him. 

I stood beside him, sword in hand. He fought off the first hunter, but now we were surrounded. He looked back at me, fire blazing in his eyes. "Do you remember our Dragon Tactics battle?" he asked.

I nodded.

"Let's use the same strategy."

"Got it!"

We started for the dock again, fighting off the hunters in our way with our swords. We moved smoothly together and guarded each others' backs. Finally, we made it back to Harald's ship. We hopped on board and set off. I grinned at the astonished looks on the dragon hunters' faces.

"You won't catch us today, fellas!" I taunted them.

"You don't stand a chance against the best team in the archipelago!" Harald added.

Once we were out of sight of the island, we turned to each other and laughed. "That was brilliant," I said. "We got them good."

"We certainly did," Harald said. "And you almost had them let us go. Excellent acting."

I grinned. "I've had practice." My smile faded when I realized I was supposed to be mad at him. Then something else occurred to me. "You saved my life back there."

He gave me a serious look. "I told you I would protect you, didn't I? I'm the one who should be surprised. You came back for me even though you could have fled on that dragon you freed."

I shook my head. "No way I was leaving you to face those hunters alone. I don't know how pirates do things, but dragon riders don't leave anyone behind... no matter who it is." And because of who he was, I had even more reason to help.

"Thank you," he said with sincerity.

I smiled. "Anytime, Harald."

We stared at each other for a minute before looking away at the same time. Why was it so easy to talk to him like nothing had happened? Why did it feel completely natural to be with him? As for him, he treated much like he always had. Perhaps his behavior on Hobblegrunt Island was for the benefit of the riders.

That meant I was right about who he was. He might have more sides to him than I previously thought, but the Harald I knew and loved was still in there. The thought put me at ease even as I realized it made everything much more complicated.

"You could probably call your dragon to fetch you," Harald said. "I can make it back to Dragon's Edge on my own."

I raised my eyebrows. "And give you a chance to escape? I don't think so."

He smirked. "I could still escape and take you hostage."

I rolled my eyes. "You won't do that."

"Can you be sure?"

Before I could respond, a dragon flew into view. Toothless. The Night Fury landed on the boat, and Hiccup dismounted.

"You made it out!" Hiccup exclaimed. "I was worried for you. Thank you for saving those dragons, Brennda. You put yourself at great risk to do it, and I'm incredibly proud of you!"

"And what about the risk _I_ took, Hiccup?" Harald said.

Hiccup cast him an uneasy look. "Well-"

"He did help me," I said quickly. "He saved me when I was in trouble. He kept his word."

"So, perhaps you could let me go?" Harald said.

Hiccup still appeared wary. "We'll talk about that when we get back to the Edge."

"Do you really intend to sail all the way with us?"

"I need to make sure you don't run off with Brennda as hostage."

"I wouldn't do that," Harald scoffed.

I smirked at him. "Didn't you suggest that very thing before he showed up?"

"That was a joke!"

"You mean a lie."

Amusement glinted in his eyes. "I admit, you make the idea... tempting."

I glanced at Hiccup to see him looking very uncomfortable. Clearly, our relationship confused him. But how could I explain it to him when I barely understood it myself?

We sailed the rest of the way in silence. The dragon riders awaited us on the dock. As soon as I stepped off the boat, Bolt flew to me and nuzzled me. I laughed as I hugged him around the neck. "It's good to see you too, buddy."

"Were you successful?" Astrid asked.

"Yes! The dragons are free."

"Oh good," Fishlegs said.

"Now, what are we going to do with_ him_?" Snotlout said, glowering at Harald.

Hiccup looked from Harald to the riders. "I thought we might alert my dad and let him take care of him."

"No!" I said a little two quickly. All eyes were on me. "This isn't Berk territory, right? Besides, Stoick might go a little... overboard."

"Your point?" Snotlout said.

"The _point_ is that's not justice!"

"Brennda, you know what he did to us," Astrid said.

"Yes, but he also saved me back there." I walked up to Harald and stood beside him. He watched me with interest but said nothing. "He could have escaped, but he went back for me instead when he didn't have to."

"One good deed doesn't make up for many evil acts," Fishlegs said.

"Are you suggesting Brennda's life isn't more valuable than what I stole?" Harald said with a sharpness that caused Fishlegs to flinch.

"No, sorry," Fishlegs said.

"You're letting your emotions get the better of you," I said. "You know out of all of us, I have the most reason take hate him, but instead I'm asking you to show leniency."

"Brennda's right," Hiccup said. "None of us are probably thinking clearly right now." He turned to Harald. "I appreciate what you did for her, and we will take that into consideration. But it's late, so we will keep you here for now and decide what to do in the morning."

"Very well," Harald said. "You have to do what you think is best."

Hiccup and Astrid stood on either side of him and led him up to the camp. I followed behind with Leopold. They led him to the stabled and placed him and his dragon in one of the cells. I wondered why he didn't resist. Did he have a plan to escape, or did he think he could convince us to let him go in the morning?

"We'll be back at first light," Hiccup said as he led the way out of the stables.

Astrid stopped at the door when she realized I hadn't moved. "Brennda?"

"I want to talk with him alone," I said. When she hesitated, I add, "Please?"

She nodded and left the stables.

I took a deep breath and turned to face Harald. It was time to find out the truth... or at least hear his side of the story.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I quite enjoyed that chapter. I hope you did too! I changed what happened a bit to better fit the story, but it won't affect too much in the end.


	23. Chapter 23

"_When you feel my heat  
__Look into my eyes  
__It's where my demons hide  
__It's where my demons hide  
__Don't get too close  
__It's dark inside  
__It's where my demons hide  
__It's where my demons hide_" 

\- "Demons" by Imagine Dragons

Chapter 23

I stood on the other side of Harald's cell, watching him as I tried to figure out where to begin. The previous action left me little time to think.

"If you're going to release me, now is your chance," Harald said with a smirk.

I glared at him. "I'm not going to release you. That's not why I'm here."

His eyebrows lifted. "Right. You're here for the truth. Fine. What do you want to know?"

I should not have been surprised he figured it out. He knew me too well. At least that saved me time. I took a deep breath. "Did you mean anything you said to me these past few weeks? Was any of it real?"

"It depends on what you mean by 'real.' Did I lie to you? Yes and no. You will have to be more specific."

I frowned. Of course he would not make this easy on me. I decided to go a different route. "You befriended me because you wanted to gain my trust, correct?"

He nodded. "You assume right."

"Did you pretend to like me?"

"No. I _do_ like you. I never lied about that."

I gritted my teeth in frustration. That made no sense to me. And yet, in his twisted mind, there had to be some sort of logic to it. I needed to see it from his perspective if I wanted to understand. "Once you gained my trust, why did you stick around for that long? Earlier, you said you went overboard with me. What did you mean?"

Harald looked down at the ground as if he did not know what to say. Then he looked back at me, his expression unreadable. "I stayed because I liked being with you. With you, I was able to forget everything that's wrong in my life and enjoy the moment. You asked if any of it was real. In my opinion, none of it was real. We were living in a fantasy world, Brennda, and it couldn't last."

I nodded. Now at last I had some clarity. "But at some point you felt guilty."

"Yes. I really did not mean for things to get that far. I was using you, true, but I did not intend to play with your emotions. I never wanted you to feel this way about me."

"Because it's so terrible to have someone care about you?" I said scathingly.

He shook his head. "If you care about me, that gives me the opportunity to use that against you, which I just said I don't want to do."

I crossed my arms. "Because doing so would make you feel guilty? If you have such limits, it just proves your humanity."

Harald gave me a bittersweet smile. "Dear Brennda, don't you understand? Your friends are right. The small amount of goodness you see does not take away from who and what I am."

"A pirate," I said darkly.

"Yes." His eyes suddenly grew cold as they stared into mine. "I've done things you wouldn't want to know about, and I will do them again in the future. If you insist on caring about me, you _will _get hurt. It is best if you forget about me and move on."

I dropped my arms and clenched my fists. "But it's too late for that, Harald! It was too late the moment we met. You should have never come to Dragon's Edge. You should have stayed away if you were only going to regret it. It _would_ have been better if we never met. But-" I sucked in a sharp breath. "We _did_ meet, and I _can't_ forget about you. I don't _want_ to. Did you mean _anything_ you said to me? Because I meant every word I said to you. And no matter what you say now, I _won't_ give up on you. _You're_ the one who's going to leave me, not the other way around." My words came out strong and forceful. I glared at him, daring him to challenge me.

Harald did not even flinch. His eyes remained cold and emotionless. "Your perseverance is admirable, but it is wasted on me. You should stay out of the darkness. Go on and continue playing hero with your dragon rider friends. Keep on believing you can make a difference."

My eyes narrowed. "We're not playing."

"Well, it felt like we were playing when I was with you lot. It was kind of nice, actually. I could be someone else and take a vacation from my real life."

"'Someone else?"'

"The person I would have been if I had not gone down this path. In that sense, it was not a lie."

My mind reeled with the information. I could see the darkness in his eyes, and I finally believed it was true. Maybe it was better if I stayed away. But there was one more thing that I needed to know. "Harald... do you love me?"

"No," he said emphatically, his face betraying no emotion. "I do not."

I had already guessed as much, but it still hurt to hear him say it. "I - I see." I felt sadness coming, and I needed to get out of there before I broke down. "Goodbye, Harald." I turned and started for the door.

"Was I right? Do you wish you never learned the truth?"

I stopped. The easy answer was 'yes,' but the truth was not easy. I took a deep breath and faced him. "At first, I wished I hadn't, but I'm still glad I know. I can't win if I don't know what I'm up against."

His lips twisted into a smirk. "You still think you can beat me?"

Suddenly, I remembered the day he told me he found a single flaw in his plan. Something he had not expected and didn't know how to deal with. I had a sneaking suspicion I knew what it was about. Perhaps I had been too quick to believe him just now.

With renewed resolve, I nodded firmly. "I _know_ I'll beat you in the end. I'll prove to you I'm correct, just like I promised. Because you made a fatal error when you chose me, and it will be your undoing."

Amusement flickered in his eyes. "Is that so? I look forward to playing with you, Brennda."

I smirked. "Likewise." Then I waltzed out of there with my head held high.

***

**Harald**

Harald knew he took a risk allowing the dragon riders to capture him a second time and confine him in this cell. However, it had its rewards, and he knew they could not keep him here for long. He already had several plans for escape... and the first one just walked into the stables.

"Hello, Bolt," he said, giving the Skrill a genuine smile. He did not know why Brennda's dragon seemed to like him so much even after everything he did, but right now it was to his benefit. His normal tricks would not work, however. With dragons, he learned he had to be sincere.

Bolt stared at him through the bars. He perked up when Leopold climbed onto Harald's shoulder and squeaked at him. He tried to push his nose through the bars, but it did not work. He growled.

"I know, it's not fair, is it? Humans make everything so _complicated_. But _you_ know the truth, don't you?" Harald stared into the dragon's eyes. "Will you let me out of here?" He waved his arms at the bars.

Bolt rose up on his legs and spread his wings. Electricity sparkled around his body. Harald backup until he was against the wall. Then the Skrill came down on the bars, slashing them with his claws and teeth. When he finished, three bars had been bent apart, leaving a hole. Electricity danced on the exposed bars.

Harald carefully stepped out of the cell, avoiding the damaged bars. He approached Bolt, who sat looking mighty pleased with himself. He allowed warm feelings to gather as he took the dragon's head in his hands and bent down until their foreheads were touching. "Thank you, dragon," he whispered. A deep rumble caused him to smile. He released him and stared into his eyes once again. "Take care of Brennda."

Bolt gazed at him at, and Harald knew he understood. Leopold chirped his farewell, and then the two of them made their departure. The sun had just begun to rise, and Harald knew he had to be quick. Luckily, there was no one else around as he sneaked off to the docks.

He found his boat just where he left it. He removed the blanket that he used to conceal the object he stole from the dragon hunters' came. Thankfully, the riders had been too preoccupied with him to check his belongings. He only allowed himself to relax once they hit open waters. Leopold flew down and peered over the edge of the boat.

"Mission accomplished," Harald said.

Leopold gazed at Dragon's Edge, fading in the distance. Then he looked back at Harald and whined.

"What? You want to go back? You know why we have to leave."

Leopold cast a longing look at the island.

Harald frowned. "She won't miss us. And we _definitely_ won't miss her."

Leopold stared at him.

"We won! We accomplished an important step in the plan! What more do you want?" Out of the corner of his eye, his noticed something at the bottom of the boat. He picked up the chess piece and could not help but smirk. "It seems Brennda left a parting gift."

Then he remembered her last words to him. His expression hardened, and he clenched the piece in his hand. "She's wrong. Yes, I made one mistake, but I will not allow it to unravel my entire plan."

He had to put as much distance between them as possible. He had stayed too long, and he _would_ pay a price for that. But he could fix this. Given enough time, he could bury he feelings and keep them out of consciousness. They would _not_ control him. He knew the part he needed to play, and he would do so perfectly. There was no need to worry.

He opened his hand and allowed the queen to drop to the floor with a 'clink.'

***

I did not sleep much. I kept waking up soon after drifting off. Finally, I decided to get up and get ready for the day. I was careful not to wake Astrid as I moved around the hut. When I walked outside, I saw the first hint of sun peeking over the horizon.

I looked around the base. No one else appeared to be out. Oh, wait! Heather and Windshear just landed. Why would they be here so early in the morning? I jogged over to them to greet them. "Hey, Heather! What's going on?"

"Hey!" Heather said. "I came over to see what happened with the setup for Harald's trap, but that can wait. There's some trouble brewing on the horizon. The dragon hunters are out in force, and they look like they're looking for blood. Their ships are headed this way!" 

I gasped. "What? Oh no! They probably hoped to catch us while we were sleeping."

Heather nodded. "We need to be ready to defend the island. I'll alert the others; can you tell Astrid what's going on?"

"Of course!" I ran back to Astrid's hut. I found her just arising from bed, but she became alert when I told her the news.

"Okay, we knew this might happen," Astrid said. "No matter what happens, saving the dragons was worth this trouble. You did a good job."

I gave her a weak smile. "Thanks."

"With the defenses we've recently added, we're more prepared for this attack than we've ever been. We should make sure our traps are set. Can you check up on them?"

I nodded. "Sure thing." 

I started with the pitfall trap, which was well covered and ready to go. Then I checked to make sure the catapults were camouflaged properly. Next, I examined Fishlegs' rock well, which was good and sturdy. Fishlegs arrived just as I finished and agreed with my assessment.

"We all need to be ready for the big battle since we all have unique roles to play within the defense," he said. "Just like the Scuttleclaw, we need to work together as a pack to win the fight. Will you check up on Snotlout and make sure he's ready for the battle?"

"I'm on it." I found Snotlout in the middle of the camp next to Hookfang.

"Don't you worry about me," he said. "I'm ready! These dragon hunters are going to regret ever picking a fight with us."

Determination filled my chest, and I nodded. "That's for sure!"

Snotlout looked past me and out at the ocean. He squinted his eyes and frowned. "Hmm... You know what, Brennda? I think I see something near the horizon. Will you use the telescope to check it out? I would do it, but Fishlegs revoked my telescope privileges last week. What a jerk, huh? I wasn't really going to drop it into the water... again..."

I rolled my eyes. "_Right_..." I looked around. "Bolt? Where are you, buddy?"

I frowned when I did not hear a response. Maybe he was still sleeping? I decided to check on him after I looked through the telescope. I took the long way up to the ledge, which took several minutes. I stopped at the top to catch my breath. Then I peered into the telescope.

I stumbled back at the image I saw. Harald was sailing away in his boat! And he had that strange blue object I saw at the dragon hunters' camp. How did he escape? I had to tell someone! I ran down to the ground level and nearly collided with Hiccup.

"Whoa, what's the hurry?" he said as he placed his hands on my shoulders to steady me.

"Harald. Is. Escaping," I panted.

Hiccup's eyes widened. Then he glanced over his shoulder. "Well, Harald will have to wait. Here come the dragon hunters!"

I grit my teeth and ran through the camp. "Bolt! Where are you?" I skidded to a halt when he suddenly landed right in front of me. I let out a breath of relief. "There you are. It's time to fight!"

"Brennda!" Astrid said, waving at me from atop Stormfly. "I'll keep a dragon-eye view of the battle so that I can coordinate all of our moving pieces. I need you to be my right hand Viking during this battle."

I gave her a firm nod. "Right!"

"They think we're weak and defenseless because they enslave dragons. Well, we know we can accomplish so much more if we can work together with them. Let's show them how wrong they are!"

And so it began. The catapults worked perfectly to strike the dragon hunter ships. Some of the dragon hunters made it to land, but the pitfall trap caught them.

"Brennda, it's time for the last part of our defense: the Scuttleclaw pack defense trick," Astrid said when I returned to her. "We need to split their ships up with a diversion, and well, I think you can handle it! Fly to the other side of the ships, but keep near the shore along the way: I don't want you to get riddled with arrows!"

Bolt and I took off. We flew along the shore and watched the ships. When one of them got close, Bolt shot them with a lightning bolt. That caught their attention, and we sped away before they could strike back while the other dragon riders swooped in to launch attacks of their own.

I caught up to Hiccup and Heather on the other side of the island. Several ships had followed him there, and we worked together to drive them off.

"They're running like cowards!" Hiccup laughed. We flew back to the base and met up with the other riders, who reported similar news.

"I'll take another flight around this area and see if they're headed back," Heather said to me. "You should check back with Astrid and see if there's anything else we might need to!"

I ran up to Astrid, and we exchanged grins. "We did it, Brennda!" she said. "The dragon hunters are retreating! They won't ever underestimate us again. They'll have to bring a lot more firepower if they want to stop us, but we'll be ready for that. We did great!"

"For sure!"

I noticed Heather land a few yards away from us. She appeared sad about something, so I left Astrid to approach her. "Hey," I said, "how's it going?"

Heather shrugged. "I'm fine. What a battle, huh? It felt really good to fly out there with Windshear and sink dragon hunter boats, just like the old days."

I stared at her. "But..?"

She frowned. "It's just that... I can't stop thinking about how I was here by accident. I didn't know you were about to be attacked; I just happened to stop by. What if I hadn't decided to come to the island? With the dragon hunters and Harald Forkbeard around these waters, it seems like my skills could come in handy out here."

"That's true..." Her mention of Harald reminded me of my own problems.

"I'm sorry. I don't mean to bring you down. We should be celebrating, not worrying about my moping over silly things! Don't worry about me, I will figure it out."

"It's not that. I just-" It suddenly occurred to me to check the stables for evidence of how Harald escaped. "I need to check on something." I turned and ran for the stables. Bolt and Heather entered after me.

"Brennda, what's going on?" Heather said.

I walked right up to Harald's cell and stared at it. Several bars had been bent apart, leaving just enough space for someone to slip through. "We kept Harald here last night because we were going to decide what to do with him today."

"Wow," Heather said from beside me. "How could he cause that much damage?"

I reached out and touched one of the broken bars. I flinched when I received an electric shock. "Bolt." I turned to the Skrill, who looked at me with a smile and big, innocent eyes. "This may be a problem."

"_Bolt_ freed Harald? Why? Did he manipulate him somehow?"

I shook my head. "No. For some reason, Bolt still likes him. He did this on his own."

Heather frowned. "I'm sure he'll learn."

I shrugged. "Maybe."

Heather gave me a concerned look. "Are _you_ going to be okay, Brennda?"

My eyebrows lifted. "What do you mean?"

"You know, with Harald and everything..."

I swallowed the lump that formed in my throat. "I - I'll be fine. I have to be, right? There's no choice."

"Did you at least get an explanation from him about what he did to you?"

"Yes, but how do I know if it's the truth?" I smiled ruefully. "I think I can piece everything together given time. It'll give me something to do anyway."

"I'll always be here if you need me, Brennda."

I nodded. "Thanks, Heather." I sucked in a sharp breath. It was time to move on. Whatever I thought I could do, Harald was gone now, and there was nothing I could do about it.

When I first arrived at the School of Dragons, I had to hide the Berserker side of me. Now I could let them come out, but I had to hide the part of me that still believed in Harald. I could not let my friends down like that. I could not make them worry about me. I had to act like everything was fine. And if my acting is good enough, maybe I could convince myself as well.

***

I returned to the School with Heather to inform the headmaster and Stoick about all that had transpired. I realized my adventures at Dragon's Edge were probably at an end now, so I might as well stay. Heather reminded me that I still had some belongings in Astrid's hut, and I needed to say goodbye to everyone. So, I returned just before nightfall.

Hiccup waved me down as soon as I landed. "Hey, Brennda! I've got a surprise for you. Well, it's from all of us."

"Really?" I said curiously as I approached him.

Hiccup smiled. "We put together a little something for all your hard work recently. Come with me. You don't need to be scared. Ruffnut and Tuffnut were not in charge of setting this up!"

He led me to one of the houses on the island. Except... this house was definitely not here when I left. My eyes widened. "Hiccup..."

"The dragon riders took a vote, and we all agree. You've proven yourself over and over again here at Dragon's Edge. You helped rebuild Dragon's Edge and set up the defenses against the dragon hunters. You've practically moved in already; let's make that official! Please join us here at Dragon's Edge as one of us. We could use someone like you in our ranks. We all pitched in and made a house for you here at the Edge."

My shock was soon replaced by gratitude. The rush of emotion nearly overwhelmed me. They wanted me here after all. They wanted me to join their group. "Of course I'll join you. Thank you!"

Hiccup grinned. "No, thank _you_, and welcome to Dragon's Edge!"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And Battle for the Edge is finished! I hoped you enjoyed the ride. There will be two more chapters to wrap up the first part of this story. In the second part, we will begin Return to Dragon Island. Stay tuned!


	24. Chapter 24

"_And once the storm is over, you won't remember how you made it through, how you managed to survive. You won't even be sure whether the storm is really over. But one thing is certain. When you come out of the storm, you won't be the same person who walked in. That's what this storm's all about._" – Haruki Murakami

Chapter 24

Dagur is alive. Heather told me she ran into him while on a mission with Hiccup. They helped him save his Gronckle, Shattermaster, from the dragon hunters. However, the dragon hunters returned fire, and Dagur stayed behind to hold them off. No one has heard from him since, but if he escaped the first time, he was just fine now. I knew he was too tough to go down that easily.

Since I joined life at Dragon's Edge, Heather often stuck around as well. Neither of us joined the dragon riders in their missions too often because we had to divide our time between them and the School. Still, it was nice to be included.

I tried to keep as busy as I could. I wanted everything to go back to normal. Except... I did not know what normal was. The majority of my time at the Edge had been spent with Harald, and everything I did now reminded me of me. We never figured out where he ran off to. I kept an eye out for his ship just in case he decided to come back, but there was never any sign of him. He was gone.

I told myself it was better this way. If he came back, it could only mean trouble. I ignored the part of me that wanted him back. There was nothing I could do about it anyway, so why dwell on something that would only cause me pain? I did my best to not draw away from my friends. They were very accommodating and acted like nothing had happened. Only Heather checked in on my once in awhile. I assured her I was fine.

Once morning, I was lounging in my hut at Dragon's Edge with Bolt when I heard a knock on the door. "Come in!" I called.

Heather entered, and she appeared nervously excited about something. "Brennda, we have a visitor," she said. "I want you to meet him." Her eyes fell on my dragon. "Bolt as well."

Bolt looked at me curiously. I shrugged. To Heather, I said, "Lead the way."

I followed her out to the main area of camp. I spotted the other riders crowed around someone and talking loudly. The chatter ceased when I appeared. Everyone moved away, giving me full view of the visitor: Dagur.

Our eyes locked. I was not sure what I was supposed to feel. The last time I saw him, I yelled at him for being a bad chief. But he also saved Heather.

"Dagur, this is Brennda," Heather said. "And Bolt. Do you remember?"

Dagur finally tore his gaze away to grin at his sister. "Of course I do! She's the Skrill trainer!" His eyes immediately went to Bolt.

"R-Right," I said.

Bolt stood beside me, giving Dagur a cautious look. I pat his head to reassure him.

Dagur smiled at this. "Very impressive. Oh, and I do remember what you said the last time we met! You were right about everything. I'm sorry I pushed you away from your home. But I have returned to Berserker Island for good, and I am going to turn it into a place you'll beg to come back to!"

I allowed a cautious smile to slip onto my lips. "Thank you, Dagur. I appreciate it." I noticed his gaze flicker to Bolt again. It seemed he had not gotten over his Skrill obsession. Not that I blamed him. "Do you want to meet him properly?"

Dagur's eyes lit up. "Can I?" He looked to Heather as if for permission, and she nodded.

I slowly led Bolt forward, stopping right in front of Dagur, who appeared to be trying hard to contain his anticipation. "It's alright, Bolt." I nodded at Dagur. "You can reach out and touch him."

"Do you think he'll get zapped?" Ruffnut asked from the sidelines.

"I'm sure Bolt can sense that we can trust him now," Hiccup said.

Dagur reached out his hand and held it over Bolt's head. Then he dropped it and moved it along his scales. Bolt made a pleased sound. Dagur grinned at me. "I did it! I touched a Skrill!"

Heather chuckled. "Good job, Dagur."

Somehow, his childlike excitement put me at ease. This was not the same Dagur I had once feared. This was the Dagur my parents knew he could be. Bolt appeared happy about the situation as well. That gave me an idea. "Say, Dagur, do you want to ride with us?"

Dagur seemed surprised at my offer, but then his grin returned. "Of course I do! Let's go!"

We all laughed. Some things had not changed at least.

***

I enjoyed showing off Bolt to Dagur. The Berserker chief was easily impressed, and Bolt liked the attention. We had a lot of fun playing together. Heather walked back with me to my hut after he left that evening.

"What did you think?" she asked with a smile.

"He's great," I said. "I can hardly believe it." I stopped in front of my hut and turned to face my friend. "It's really over, isn't it? The Berkians and Berserkers are at peace."

She nodded in understanding. "It's finally over. You have nothing to worry about anymore."

"Thank you, Heather. For helping Dagur."

"I didn't do much. He's the one who decided to change."

I shook my head. "But you believed in him. You saw the good along with the bad and brought out the good."

"It's not like I intended to. It just... happened."

She may not have noted its significance, but this meant everything to me. "Is it alright if this allows me to hope?" I stared at her, wondering if she would catch my meaning.

Heather gazed at me without speaking at first. Then she smiled. "Of course it is, Brennda. This is a great reason to hope. This is what we're all about, isn't it? We don't want to just protect dragons. We want to change hearts and minds, right?"

Yes, that was our dream. A dream Harald thought too naive and idealistic. He didn't believe in people the way we did. But because of that belief, one of our greatest enemies was now one of our greatest allies. I realized Harald did not need to be here for me to start proving him wrong. 

I allowed a confident grin to spread across my face. "You're exactly right, Heather. And this is only the start!"

***

Our battles with the dragon hunters took us through the summer until, finally, we joined together with all our allies to defend Dragon's Edge once again. This time, Viggo Grimborn perished in the fight when he fell into the volcano going after the Dragon Eye. It was finally over. We were free.

Peace only last a few months. With winter on the horizon, a new threat arrived: Drago. He still believed dragons were horrible beasts and the only way to deal with them was to control them before they controlled us. Stoick decided to prepare for war, but Hiccup believed he could talk sense into Drago and flew off with Toothless. Stoick, Gobber, and the dragon riders went after him.

I stayed behind at Berk to watch over everyone. My efforts proved to be futile. Morning arrived, and Drago suddenly appeared with a white dragon as big as a mountain. A Bewilderbeast, I later learned it was called. This dragon has the ability to control the minds of other dragons.

I could only watch helplessly as Bolt flew away from me, threatening me with his lightning bolts when I got to close. I joined the crowd of confused, frightened Vikings who stared up at Drago and his Bewilderbeast in shock. A huge mass of dragons surrounded Drago. They all appeared to glare down at us.

"Your chief is dead!" Drago boomed from atop the giant dragon's head. "No one can protect you now."

Then the Bewilderbeast used his ice breath to prematurely freeze Berk. The Vikings huddled together to keep warm. I wanted to help but found myself at a loss. Where were my friends? Drago would say if Hiccup was dead too, right?

Finally, Hiccup and the dragon riders arrived... riding baby Scuttleclaws. They must have been the only dragons not affected by the Bewilderbeast's hypnosis. I saw Hiccup sneak towards Toothless while the others threw sheep at the Bewilderbeast.

I snapped out of it long enough to get my legs to run to my friends. "Hey!" I said. "Can I help?"

Snotlout grinned at me. "Grab a sheep!"

Our distraction worked. Hiccup was able to get to Toothless and somehow break through to him. He blindfolded him to help him block out the Bewilderbeast's power and mounted him. Then the real battle began.

Somehow, Hiccup and Toothless were able to keep up with the Bewilderbeast. It was quite amazing to watch. Toothless challenged the giant dragon for status as alpha... and he won. The Bewilderbeast lost control of the dragons, and they all joined Toothless to help fight him off. He gave up, plunging into the sea with Drago on his back.

The Vikings erupted into cheers. All the dragons landed and bowed to Toothless as their new alpha. Toothless roared in victory, and the dragons roared back at him. Then they split up to return to where they belonged.

"Bolt!" I cried, flinging my arms around the neck of my Skrill. Bolt grunted happily and nuzzled my back. I pulled away and smiled at him. "It's all fine now, buddy."

The Vikings of Berk crowded around Hiccup with their dragons. Bolt and I joined them to see what was going on. Gothi approached Hiccup and asked him to kneel. Then she used coal to draw the chief symbol on his forehead.

"The chief has come home!" Gobber yelled.

"Long live Chief Hiccup!" the rest of us shouted as one while the dragons fired into the sky.

Somehow, it felt like everything would be alright now. Sure, Berk was nearly destroyed and would take a lot of work to repair, but we were all together again and stronger than ever. And our dragon friends were here with us. We would never let each other down.

"Hey, Brennda!" Hiccup said as he approached with Astrid and a stranger. Toothless and Skullcrusher followed behind. "There's someone I want you to meet."

I looked over the stranger. I vaguely remembered him helping my friends and I fight the Bewilderbeast. He was tall, muscular, and fairly handsome. Despite the recent battle, he held himself with a familiar confidence. And those markings on his chin... where had I seen them before? "Hello," I said coolly. "I'm Brennda, and this is Bolt." Sensing my mood, my dragon let out a low warning growl.

The man flashed me a brilliant smile. "Hello, Brennda," he said. "I am Eret, son of Eret, greatest dragon trapper alive."

Then it clicked. Dragon trapper. Enemy. Enraged, I jumped on him, sending both of us crashing to the ground. I immediately straddled him and pressed my sword against his throat. Bolt stood beside him, his body crackling with electricity. "You were with Drago!" I growled. "Why are you here?"

Astrid burst out laughing.

"Brennda, he's with us!" Hiccup said in alarm.

"It's true!" Eret said, his eyes wide in fear. "I'm on your side, mate!"

Perhaps I would have hesitated if he had not used that term, but memories of betrayal prevented me from giving him a chance. I had learned my lesson. "Nice try," I said. "Hiccup, what did Astrid and I tell you about trusting strangers?"

"He's right this time," Astrid said once she stopped laughing. "Eret was an enemy, but he changed after Stormfly saved his life. We would never have escaped Drago's ship without his help."

My eyes tightened. "Well, if you've been vetted by Astrid..."

Eret nodded vigorously. "It's true!" His eyes flickered to Bolt before catching mine. "You and your dragon are very intimidating. I'm sure you make a mighty good team. I understand that now. Hiccup and Astrid showed me what it means to earn a dragon's trust."

My anger receded. He _did_ think we were properly intimidating... I slowly got off of him, but I kept my eyes on him. As soon as he was free, Skullcrusher rushed to his side and nudged him.

"And he has earned the trust of my husband's dragon," came a woman's voice. "He has been vetted by me as well."

Eret got to his feet and gave the woman a grateful smile. "Thank you, Valka."

I nodded. "Understood. Wait-" I looked at Skullcrusher. "That was Stoick's dragon. So, you're-" I looked at the woman. "But you can't be. Hiccup said-" I looked to Hiccup for help.

The new chief smiled at me. "Brennda, I would like you to meet my mother, Valka."

I turned to the woman again, my mouth agape. "But - but you're... not dead?"

Valka chuckled. "Not at all. It is nice to meet you, Brennda. I can see you are a fine warrior of Berk."

"Yes, but how-?" I looked to Hiccup. This was all way too confusing for me.

"I found her living with dragons in a sanctuary," Hiccup explained.

"I left Berk with a friend," Valka said. She placed a hand on a big dragon behind her. "Cloudjumper. Neither of us approved of the fighting between Vikings and dragons, and so we left. I believed Vikings to be too stubborn to ever change... until my son and husband returned to me and proved me wrong." She looked from Hiccup to Eret with a soft smile on her face. "I have never been happier to be wrong."

"You and Stoick were reunited then," I said with a small smile. "That's nice." I closed my eyes as I imagined the scene in my head. My smile fell when the truth dawned on me. This woman had left her husband and son because of what she believed in. It had not been done do to hate, but still, she acted in spite of love. "When you saw him again... was it like nothing had changed? Did the love come back?"

Valka held my steady gaze. Something told me she understood I was asking for myself. "Dear girl, it never went away."

"Love never dies," I whispered. "I know."

Valka placed her hands on my shoulders and gave me an encouraging smile. "It will be alright. Hiccup tells me you have the heart of Berserker. You will choose what is right."

I nodded. "Thanks."

Valka removed her hands and stepped back. "We will talk later." She swept her gaze over the others. "For now, we need to figure out our next step."

"We should get started on repairs at Berk," Hiccup said, "but we should also check up on the School. I do not think Drago made it over there, but they should at least know what happened."

"I am very eager to see this School of yours," Eret said.

"As am I," said Valka. "But I can wait. Berk comes first."

"Brennda, why don't you take Eret to the School and introduce him to Heather and the headmaster?" Hiccup said. "In fact, if he is interested in joining with Skullcrusher, I'm thinking of putting you in charge of his training."

I looked at him in surprise. "Me?"

Hiccup smiled. "Sure. You are a senior trainer now, and you did a great job with Skulder."

"I agree," Astrid said. "I think you and Eret will get along fine once you know each other."

"I would be honored to learn from you,"Eret said, placing a hand over his heart.

I looked him over once more. Sure, I had succeeded with Skulder, but with Harald... I pushed the thoughts away. I could not live in the past. This was my chance. Eret was not Harald. "Okay then," I said, "I accept. Come on, Eret." I mounted Bolt and looked over my shoulder at Eret. He had not moved. "Is something wrong?"

Astrid started to say something, but Hiccup touched her arm and shook his head.

Eret looked uneasily at Skullcrusher, appearing totally lost. I took in a deep breath. Right. He had never rode an adult dragon before. I reluctantly dismounted Bolt and strode over to the Rumblehorn. "You can ride behind me on Skullcrusher," I decided.

"Not on your dragon?" Eret said.

I shook my head. "A Skrill is a little too advanced for you."

"_Now_ you're worried about that?" Hiccup said.

I shot him a look and did not respond. I rubbed Skullcrusher's head to encourage him before climbing onto his back. "Now just get on behind me."

Eret still seemed unsure, but he obeyed. Once in place, he wrapped his arms tightly around me. Thankfully, I found it did not bother me like it had with Harald. "I'm ready when you are."

"I'll meet you there later," Hiccup said. "Good luck!"

"We'll be fine, mate!" said Eret. "It's off to the School of Dragons!"

Skullcrusher took to the air, and Bolt flew beside him. Eret seemed quite relaxed as we flew. His experience over the past day really had changed his view of dragons. Just like Dagur.

Hiccup may not have been able to change Drago's mind, but he had changed Eret's. Not to mention his mother's. And this was only the start. More enemies may pop up, but we _would_ win in the end because we were _right_. Just like love, the right ideas did not fade. We would change the world... one person at a time.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> In case you noticed, HTTYD 2 has just occurred, but we have not yet gotten to Race to the Edge seasons five or six. It is impossible to reconcile RTTE, HTTYD 2, and the SoD expansions. This is because RTTE came out after HTTYD 2, and each new expansion follows a season of RTTE. Since this story is based on the game, I am following the information given in the expansions. This means RTTE seasons five and six have not occurred yet. I will tweak them to make them fit, though I will not delve too much into them. I hope it all makes sense in the end!


	25. Chapter 25

**A/N:** This is the last chapter for part one. Enjoy!

***

"_No more lives torn apart  
That wars would never start  
And time would heal all hearts  
And everyone would have a friend  
And right would always win  
And love would never end, no  
This is my grown up Christmas list_" 

\- "Grown Up Christmas List" by Amy Grant

Chapter 25

I finally built a small hut for myself on Berk. It only made sense since I spent much of the following month helping Hiccup rebuild the island after Drago nearly destroyed it. Now I could move around anywhere, just like my friends. With all our hard work, it finally started to feel like home.

One day, I wandered around Berk with Bolt, simply watching the snow fall. We stopped when we ran into Fishlegs. Something seemed a bit off about him. "Hey, Fishelgs," I said. "Is everything alright?"

"Hi, Brennda," Fishlegs said. "I'm fine, it's just... Is it just me or has everything felt a little... drab, lately?" 

I shrugged. "Since Drago, you mean? I suppose we haven't had anything positive happen since then."

Fishlegs nodded. "Exactly. I think a splash of fun and unity could do us a whole lot of good. Can you ask Hiccup if he has anything planned for the upcoming holidays?"

"I suppose I can do that."

"Thanks, Brennda!"

I nearly forgot Snoggletog was almost upon us. I used to celebrate every year with my parents, but since joining the School of Dragons, it never really felt right to join in the Berkian celebrations. Would this year really be any different?

I found Hiccup near his hut with Toothless. While the dragonss greeted each other, I relayed Fishlegs' question to our new chief.

"I'm glad you brought it up," Hiccup said. "With everything that has happened to Berk recently, it's been hard to really get the time to get in a celebrating mood. There are always a hundred new problems popping up at any time that need the chieftain's attention. That won't stop us from having a good time this Snoggletog. My father definitely drilled into me the importance of delegating, and I know you can get this done! Can you talk to Gobber and ask him about the state of our Snoggletog celebrations?"

"I'm on it!" And so, I was off to find our resident blacksmith at his smithy, of course.

"Ha! We're miles ahead of Hiccup," Gobber said. "Did you really think Astrid would have slacked off? I swear that girl lives for Snoggletog. She started talking to me about it months ago. In fact, I had to help her set up her stall all morning!" He frowned. "Why are you wincing?"

"Um, well..."

"Ah, I see you've had Astrid's infamous yaknog before; is the ... 'unique' ... taste coming back to your mouth?"

I gave him a sheepish smile.

"You don't have to worry, lassie. Why don't you hear the plan directly from the Nadder's mouth? She's somewhere around here on Berk!"

Well, if this was not about yaknog, I could give it a go. I did not have to search long before I found Astrid and Stormfly. My friend brightened when she saw me.

"There you are, Brennda!" she exclaimed. "I've been looking all over for you. I have something really special lined up for all of our dragon trainers. I'm so happy to be celebrating Snoggletog together with everyone. Let me show you!"

She had my curiosity piqued, so I followed her to the other side of Berk. She stopped on front of a new, dome-shaped building.

Astrid turned to me and grinned. "Ta-da! Gobber and I set up a new training area."

I smiled. Now _that_ sounded like Astrid. "That's pretty cool."

She nodded. "Just because it's Snoggletog doesn't mean that we have any time to slack off, right? We need all the practice we can get if we want to defeat the next villain who appears on our doorstep. Besides, our training dummies are in the proper spirit of things! Stormfly and I will join you in battle when you're ready. Come on, let's go!"

I chuckled as Bolt and I followed her into the arena. This was not exactly what I had in mind when I thought of Snoggletog, but I had to admit, it did help me forget about everything else. Bolt and I fought hard, and we managed to beat all of the Snoggletog themed dummies.

"I got to admit, you're pretty amazing," Astrid said. "Thanks for being the first one to survive Snoggletog Training. I appreciate your support!"

"It was pretty fun," I said. "Thanks for letting me try it out."

"Okay! We need to get everyone else through the course. Can you help me spread the word? Please let Fishlegs know what we have planned."

I found Fishlegs again and quickly explained what Astrid had set up. He nodded as he listened, but something still appeared to be troubling him.

"Wow!" he said when I finished. "I really appreciate that Astrid took the effort. She's completely right about getting ready for Viggos and Dragos of the world, who are always looking to pervert the power of dragons."

"But...?" I pressed.

"But... I just wish that we could spend a breather to enjoy the spirit of Snoggletog, you know? We don't always have to be thinking about fighting with dragons and defending Berk and all that. I'd like a moment where we can just sit together with Meatlug and share a meal."

"I suppose that would be nice. It's been years since I've had a Snoggletog like that..."

"Ah, what an I saying? Sorry, sorry. Don't worry about it. I'll tell Astrid that I'll be right by the training area once I'm ready. You can pass the message along to the others! Can you tell Ruffnut that it's her turn?"

I shrugged. "Sure." It was not like I had anything better to do. I spent quality time with Bolt all the time, so what was the big deal?

I caught the twins at the end of one of their pranks. I did not even bother to ask. I pulled Ruffnut aside and explained the Snoggletog training to her.

"Oh sure, I'll run a course of Astrid's new death test," she said.

I stared at her. "It's not a death test, Ruff."

She put her hands on her hips and frowned. "What do you mean it's not a death test? Why would we even fight if it weren't a death test?" She shook her head. "Anyway. I'll run it but only if you first do something for me. Tit for tat, my friend. Tit for tat."

Of course I should have known it would not be that easy. "What do you want?"

"I look around the town and I see that there's something clearly missing: the blessings of Loki!" 

I blinked. "I really don't think this is Loki's holiday..."

Ruff scoffed at that. "Why should Loki be subject to a single day? Lucky for everyone, Ruffnut is on the case. I'll be ready to unveil my latest creation once you're back from running my errand. Can you find Eret at the training grounds and tell him to get his cute biceps over here?"

"If you say so..." I had a bad feeling about this, but I was also interested to see what she had planned. And it was not like anything she and Tuff did was ever truly dangerous.

Bolt and I enjoyed the short flight to the School of Dragons. I saw a few students training with their dragons while others excitedly played in the snow. Eret worked on his boat at the dock. 

Over the past month, I had taught him how to ride Skullcrusher, but he still preferred to help us out by sailing. Astrid had been right when she said we would get along. I found him easy to talk to, and we quickly became friends. He helped me forget about... everything else.

"Brennda!" Eret said when I landed in front of him. "How are you doing, mate?"

"I'm doing fine," I said. "I'm helping Astrid with her Snoggletog plans. I don't supposed you'd be interested in hearing about it."

Eret grinned at me. "Are you joking? The excitement over Snoggletog is starting to build around here, and let me tell you mate, it's infectious! I've spent most of my Snoggletogs on the deck of one ship or another, and there are too many chores at sea to properly get in the proper spirit of things."

I nodded. "I hear you. I haven't really celebrated since my parents died."

Eret's smile fell. "I'm sorry to hear that. But now you have plenty of friends you can celebrate with, right?"

I shrugged. "I guess. Anyway, I came to invited you to check out what everyone's doing. And... I think Ruffnut wanted to show us something."

"I've been wondering how the Berkians prepare for this warming holiday. Thank you for the invitation, Brennda. I will gladly accept." His eyes fell on my Skrill. "Do you think I am ready to ride Bolt?"

I had to smile at that. It was the first time he had asked. He was a little quicker to warm up to dragons than Skulder, but he still showed some hesitancy. "We can give it a try. Bolt and I would be happy to give you a ride."

I climbed onto Bolt's back, and Eret got on behind me. I could feel his nervousness, but he did not complain. "Let's go slow," I whispered to my dragon, rubbing the side of his neck. I did not want to scare Eret _too _badly.

Eret's nerves receded once we were in the air. "This is amazing!" he said. "Do you ever get tired at this?"

I smiled. "Never."

As we neared Berk, I saw everyone was helping get ready for Snoggletog now. I landed in the place where I had last seen Ruffnut. She had to be around here somewhere.

"Thanks for the ride, mate," Eret said. After dismounting, he admired the work of the Berkians. "I see the decorations have already begun. This is fascinating!"

"It is pretty nice," I agreed.

"Ah! You had something to show me. Will you lead me to the destination before I get too distracted? I'm sure Ruffnut has something very important to show us."

"Right." If only I knew where she had run off to... I quickly looked around, and something caught my eye. "This way!" 

I jogged across the bridge that led to Sven's farm. I veered to the right and found Ruffnut standing proudly in front of the entrance of a maze. "Wow," I said. "So, this is what you had planned."

Ruffnut smiled smugly. "That's right: it's Loki's Maze of Cheer! You can get a double dose of trickery and all the Snoggletog you could ever want, right here in one place. And I won't even charge."

I smirked. "How generous of you."

Eret appeared genuinely impressed. "I've heard so much about your mazes, Ruffnut, but I've never had the chance to see them. There's no time like the present! I hope this one gives me all the Snoggletog spirit I've missed over the years."

I stared after him as he disappeared into the maze. That went better than I thought it would. I turned to Ruffnut, who had a huge grin on her face.

"Whoo-hoo!" she exclaimed. "Mama's going to follow Eret son of Eret down into the maze, my friend, and watch him brave the challenges of Loki. You can go off and ... I don't know, talk to Hiccup or something."

"But you said-" And she was gone before I could finish my sentence. This was certainly turning into an interesting Snoggletog.

***

I spent the next couple of days talking to the other dragon trainers and inviting them to try out Astrid's training course. I even got Hicucp and Toothless to give it a run through, and they had a great time! Then Astrid told me to ask Dagur, who had just arrived on Berk.

It had been awhile since I last saw the Berserker Chief. He visited Heather a few times, but he said he was busy fixing up Berserker Island. Everything seemed to be going well over there. I would have to visit sometime soon.

Dagur grinned when he saw me. "Brennda! I came as fast as I heard! On Berserker Island we have a similar tradition for Snoggletog, so I definitely wanted to try Astrid's take. Fighting is the only thing that can make a holiday merrier, and all Dagur wants is the merriest Snoggletog ever."

I chuckled. "I'm sure you do, Dagur." I smirked. "Are you sure you can take on Astrid's training dummies?"

Dagur made a face. "Training dummies? Pshaw, I say! I issue a challenge to Astrid and Stormfly: face me and Sleuther in the sacred fields of combat. And since she didn't expect us to issue such an important battle before afternoon tea, I'll allow you to join in the fray. What do you think?"

I blinked. Why did he have to make everything so dramatic? "Uh... I relay the message to her and see what she has to say." Somehow, I doubted she could deny such a challenge.

"Oh?" she said once I told her. "Well, there's only one possible response to that. Bring, It. On."

"I thought you would say that," I said with a grin.

"I shouldn't be surprised that Dagur would offer such uneven odds to me. He's one of the most arrogant Vikings I've ever met, other than Snotlout of course. What do you say: why don't we teach him a lesson? Let's show him what Vikings of Berk are all about."

I nodded. "If you're in, I'm in!"

And so, when Dagur and Sleuther arrived, we used the training field to partake in an epic battle. It was a lot of fun, and Dagur held up surprisingly well. I quickly learned his strategy, though, and Astrid and I were able to work together to beat him.

"Arg!" Dagur groaned in defeat. "I bit of a little more than I could chew, don't you think? My mistake. Are you ready for another go at it, Astrid?"

Astrid smirked. "I'm game for a rematch anytime, Dagur, but it looks like Hiccup is trying to catch our attention. Let's take a breather! Brennda, can you talk to Hiccup and see what's on his mind?"

I did not even notice Hiccup watching us, but from his expression, I could tell he had seen the whole thing. I smiled at him as I approached.

"Let me get this out of the way first: amazing victory!" he said. "I was on the edge of my seat all the way through."

I grinned. "Thanks! It was pretty great." It was not every day you got to defeat a chief. I wondered how Dagur would fare in chess...

"Let's slow down before the fighting spirit overtakes us all. It's all in good fun, of course, and I'm so pleased with all the hard work that Astrid put into making the training Snoggletog themed. Still, we can't forget there's more to this season than just decorations. Can you talk to my mother and tell her to get ready for the surprise?"

"Surprise?"

Hiccup smiled with a twinkle in his eye. "You'll have to wait to find out."

Now_ that_ had me interested. I left the arena in search of Valka. It was very... interesting having the chief's mother around. We spoke a few times, and we got along well enough. I admired her for her decision to leave behind those she loved in pursuit of the truth. She pointed out I had done something similar when I left Berserker Island to join the School of Dragons. And, like her, I had now found peace with my former life when I had once thought it impossible.

"Happy Snoggletog, Valka," I said, giving her a smile.

Valka smiled at me in return. "Happy Snoggletog, Brennda. I regret only a few things about my decision to live amongst the dragons, and missing Snoggletog was one of them. I detested how Berk treated dragons before Hiccup and Toothless, but Snoggletog was different. Snoggletog was about the warmth of survival, of our entire village coming together as one family."

I nodded. "I'm beginning to see what that means. It's been very nice this year. I'm grateful for everyone for taking me in."

"You're family now too. Don't forget that." She paused, and her eyes swept over the decorations. "It looks just like I remember it. When I was a little girl, I used to make a Snoggletog wish. Silly, isn't it?"

I shook my head. "Not at all. It can be nice to make a wish for something you want that seems impossible. Will you make one this year?'

She smiled. "I already have everything I want. And what about you, Brennda? What do you wish for?"

My mind immediately went to the one person I loved who was not there. This time, however, I thought about the past he had revealed to me and the reason why he was so cynical. "I wish for... everyone to have someone they can trust and believe in who will never let them down. Perhaps a Viking_ and_ a dragon friend who could help them through tough times so that they don't give up on life and the good inside them overcomes the evil."

Valka appeared surprised at the intensity of my words. "Wow, that is very... vague and specific at the same time. You do not wish for something for yourself?"

"Wishing for _this_ is the only way to get what I really want. The obstacles are beyond my control." At least, that was what I kept telling myself. It was easier that way.

Valka nodded in understanding. "I used to believe the same thing, but now I wonder if it's not an excuse to ignore the real work that needs to be done. We can at least make small differences in the lives of those who are around us."

"That's true." But it did not really help me with my problem. As my mind drifted, I suddenly remembered why I wanted to talk to her in the first place. "Anyway, Hiccup wants to know if everything is ready for the surprise... whatever that is..."

Valka gave me the same smile as her son. "No, I will not tell you what is is, but you can tell Hiccup that I'll meet at the outskirts of town. More importantly, I noticed a glum little Viking in the middle of Berk. Can you check on Fishlegs and make sure he makes it to the celebration?"

"Sure."

After reporting the information to Hiccup, I found Fishlegs dragging his feet through the middle of town. "Fishleg!" I called.

He stopped and gave me a forced smile. "Oh, hey."

"I know you've been feeling down, but Hiccup has some sort of celebration planned at the outskirts of town! I'm sure it will make you feel better if you come."

"I appreciate you coming by to try to raise my spirits, Brennda, I really do. But it's okay! I'm just being a little bit stubborn right now. A few hours cuddling with Meatlug and I'll be right as rain."

"Yes, but you should still come!"

Fishlegs appeared thoughtful. "Well, I haven't heard about any event being held on the outskirts of town (other than Astrid's little training session, of course). Is it by the training area? I'll meet you there!"

When Bolt and I arrived at the training area, we found it fully decorated for Snoggletog and a huge feast laid out. Everyone was there, including Heather.

Hiccup stood in front of the crowd and addressed everyone: "This training course was Astrid's way of showing us that she cares for us. Thanks to her, we'll be ready ... together, as we should be during Snoggletog."

"Ah! This is exactly what I've wanted," Fishlegs said excitedly. "Thank you Hiccup."

"You're all family to me," Astrid said. "I know we can get past whatever stands in our way as long as we work together."

And so, I enjoyed my first real Snoggletog at Berk. After socializing with everyone, Astrid accepted Dagur's challenge for a rematch, and this time I fought with Dagur. It was another exciting battle. Dagur and I worked well together and succeeded in defeating Astrid and Stormfly.

"I knew the flash of blades and glints of axes could bring victory to our side," Dagur said as we left the training arena. "Well, I suppose it has a lot more to do with the teamwork and great tactics, but to me, it's all the same."

I chuckled and shook my head. "Whatever it was, it was fun. I'm glad you're on our side now."

He grinned at me. "So am I."

We split up to join the others who were still enjoying the party. I found Heather and Eret talking together. "Hey, guys," I said. "Happy Snoggletog."

"Happy Snoggletog, Brennda," Heather said. "Are you having a good time?"

I nodded. "Oh yeah. Dagur and I just beat Astrid in her training session."

Heather smiled. "I bet he enjoyed that."

"I'm certainly enjoying all of this," Eret said. "I'm glad you invited me." Something up above caught his attention. "Is that Terrible Terror staring at us?"

I snapped my head up and spotted a purple Terrible Terror perched high in a tree, his gaze fixed on me. Wait a minute...

"Leopold?!" I cried.

The tiny dragon gave a chirp and took off flying. I immediately bolted after him, completely forgetting that it would be faster on my own dragon.

"Brennda, where are you going?" Eret called after me. "Who's Leopold?"

"The dragon!" I shouted.

I was too intent on keeping pace with the Terrible Terror to notice if anyone followed me. Leopold led me to the edge of Berk, and then with a burst of speed, he dove over the ocean... but not before dropping something in a bush near the cliff.

I stood with my hands on my knees, panting heavily. Bolt nudged me and whined. "I'm sorry," I said once I could breath. "I guess he didn't want me to follow him."

"Now will you tell me what's going on?" Eret said. I turned around to see him standing with Heather, a small frown on his face. "What's so special about that little dragon?"

"He belongs to someone I-" I caught Heather's eye. "-someone important to me."

"It could have been a wild Terrible Terror, Brennda," Heather said with sympathy in her eyes.

I shook my head. "No. It was Leopold. I'd know him anywhere."

"Well," said Eret, "if this person doesn't want to talk, why send the dragon?"

Good question. I walked to the bush I noted earlier and peered down. My breath caught in my throat. I picked up the object Leopold dropped for all to see: a blue chrysanthemum.

A puzzled look crossed Eret's face. "A flower? He left you a flower?"

But Heather's eyes told me she understood. I had told her everything about my adventures with Harald, after all. "It's a message," she said softly.

"What kind of message?"

I smiled and placed the flower in my hair, wrapping the stem around my ear. "Happy Snoggletog." My heart filled with warmth at the thought. I did not know what it fully meant, but Harald had thought of me and that made me incredibly happy.

"I'm still confused," Eret said.

I returned to my friends and linked arms with them. "Maybe I'll tell you someday. But for now... let's return to the celebrations."

Everyone agreed.

Bolt gave one last long look to the skies where Leopold had disappeared. I knew what he was thinking. This was also a sign that this was not the end. A storm was coming that would surely test everything we had. But I felt no fear. After all, Bolt and I were made for storms.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you enjoyed that! Most of it was taken from the Snoggletog quests of 2017. I thought it would be a nice way to end the first part of the story. I'll get the first chapter of the second part up as soon as I can.

**Author's Note:**

> There you have it. I know, I changed some of the mechanics of the game. But it's a game, and everything does not fit perfectly into the already established world. Let me know what you think and if you want me to continue!


End file.
